the civil rights movement: freedom...

S T O R Y P A T H®

The Civil RightsMovement:

Freedom Summer

Margit E. McGuire, Ph.D.Seattle University

The Civil Rights Movement: Freedom Summer Revised July, 2002 2This material has been posted with the permission of SRA/Everyday Learning Corporation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSI am grateful to Gail Schalk at Montlake Elementary School, Seattle, who allowed me to pilotthis unit in her classroom of fourth and fifth graders. Her suggestions for lesson ideas anddiscussions with students have enriched this learning experience. Her flexibility, enthusiasm,and support are greatly appreciated. Others also participated in the piloting of this Storypath. Ithank them for contributing their suggestions and ideas to this unit. Also, I appreciate theeditorial support of Elizabeth Glosniak.

Class Test Sites Seattle, WashingtonMaryamu Eltayeb-GivensAnita MoralesSusan RomePaula Wittman

Edmonds, WashingtonAlexandra MilettaBob Shepard

The Civil Rights Movement:Freedom Summer

By Margit E. McGuire, Ph.D.Professor of Teacher Education, Seattle University

Episode 1 The Civil Rights Workers

Episode 2 Preparing for the Trip

Episode 3 Service Refused

Episode 4 Stay or Leave

Episode 5 The Freedom School

Episode 6 The Farewell

Assessment Synthesis Activities

The Storypath ApproachTo learn more about the Storypath approach, go tohttp://www.sra4kids.com/everydaylearning/storypath/index.htmlorhttp://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/storypath.htmlAlso available from Everyday Learning Corporation is Storypath Foundations: An InnovativeApproach to Teaching Social Studies. Call 1-888-SRA-4543 to order a copy.


DEVELOPING THE STORY

The Civil Rights Movement: Freedom Summer unit evolves over six episodes as students learnabout the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s particularly the Mississippi Summer Project.Students create civil rights workers who travel to Jackson, Mississippi in the summer of 1964 toregister Black voters for the upcoming presidential election. Through this process they examineissues of justice and equality and learn about the courage of the civil rights workers and Blackfamilies who risked their jobs, property, and sometimes their lives to register to vote. The unitnaturally integrates social studies, literacy, and art as students create civil rights workers, plan fortheir trip, encounter prejudice and discrimination, and consider the Constitutional rightsguaranteed to all citizens--including the right to vote. The story follows the basic structure shownbelow, but can develop naturally as students contribute their own ideas and decisions. Studentsimmerse themselves in Freedom Summer by creating the characters, imagining the trip toJackson, Mississippi in the summer of 1964, and then tackling problems of injustice anddiscrimination. The Storypath is concluded with a farewell event as the civil rights workersreturn home at the end of the summer. It is the goal of this Storypath to provide students with arealistic view of the challenges of living in this time and place and a deep and personalunderstanding of the Civil Rights Movement.

Episodes

Episode 1: Creating the CharactersTHE CIVIL RIGHTS WORKERS

Students learn about the Civil Rights Movement and then createcivil rights workers.

Episode 2: Creating the SettingPREPARING FOR THE TRIP

Students prepare for the trip to Oxford, Ohio (for training) andJackson, Mississippi and learn about life in the 1960s.

Episode 3: Critical IncidentSERVICE REFUSED

Students participate in training for the Mississippi SummerProject and then respond to the civil rights workers being refusedservice at a restaurant.

Episode 4: Critical IncidentSTAY OR LEAVE

Students learn of the deaths of civil rights workers and mustdecide if they will stay and continue to register voters or returnhome.


Episode 5: Building ContextTHE FREEDOM SCHOOL

Students plan how they will convince the local people to registerto vote and make presentations about voting and citizenship.

Episode 6: Concluding EventTHE FAREWELL

The summer is coming to an end and the civil rights workersprepare to return home. A farewell gathering is planned.

Synthesis ActivitiesASSESSMENT

Students demonstrate learning by completing a synthesis activity.

BUILDING UNDERSTANDING

ASSESSMENTThe Civil Rights Movement: Freedom Summer Storypath offers a variety of options to genuinelyassess students’ learning. These methods include informal, ongoing methods, such as observingstudent discussions and behavior; rich opportunities for portfolio assessment, and synthesizingactivities at the end of the unit to assess students’ learning of unit objectives. Cooperativelearning activities are integrated into the unit to develop students’ social skills.

During each episode, students will be developing complex thinking and problem-solving abilitieswithin the context of understanding the events of the summer of 1964 and the Civil RightsMovement. The best way to assess this learning is through ongoing observation and evaluationof student activities. Look for suggestions for assessment criteria throughout each episode.

At the end of the unit, three synthesis activities are provided so that students can apply whatthey’ve learned about these events of the past. You can let students choose one of the threeprojects, or assign one to the entire class. Each synthesizing activity includes criteria forassessment and a list of unit objectives that apply to each activity. The three topics are:

• “An Artistic Presentation”• “Current Event Analysis”• “My Portfolio”By having students demonstrate their learning through creating a song, poem, and visualpresentation of the events of the Civil Rights Movement, you can assess student learning throughtheir artistic and higher order thinking skills without relying heavily on students’ reading andwriting skills. An analysis of a current event allows you to assess students’ ability to apply theevents of the Storypath to a current civil rights issue within your own community or beyond. Thethird activity, “My Portfolio,” shows students’ progress over time.

PLANNING THE UNITMAKE KEY DECISIONSPrepare for the topic. The purpose of this unit is to build understanding of the Civil RightsMovement and to deepen students’ understanding of justice and equality and the freedoms,rights, and responsibilities guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. Developing empathy for othersis essential to a civil society. The attitudes and values that are explored in this unit can be


sensitive and in conflict with family and community views. A safe and supportive environmentthat fosters an exploration of these issues in meaningful ways is important for this unit.Suggestions are provided in the first episode for establishing or revisiting classroom climate,respect for alternative viewpoints, and active listening to each other’s ideas. The unit takes threeto four weeks.

In Episode 1, students interview an older family member or friend about life in the early 1960s.You may want to have students do this before the unit begins to provide adequate time forstudents to conduct the interviews.

Integrate the learning. Storypath provides many opportunities to integrate reading, writing,speaking, and listening processes. Students read fiction and nonfiction and write for a variety ofpurposes: journal writing, persuasive writing, and poetry writing. Speaking and listeningopportunities abound. The unit easily adapts to meet specific literacy goals you may have foryour classroom. Additionally, art processes are integrated into the unit as students create life inthe 1960s and characters.

Plan space for the Storypath. You will need ample wall space for displaying the bus mural,charts, characters, and other artifacts that establish a visual context for this Storypath.

Arrange for role-plays. In Episode 1 you may want to invite another adult to give the speech thatintroduces the unit. Again in Episode 3, arrange for an adult to play the role of restaurant owner--you could also play this role. The Teaching Master, Refusing Service, describes how this roleshould be presented. In Episode 5, as an optional activity, you can invite adults to play the roleof protesters and then change roles to play community members. The teacher can play these rolesas well.

Discuss the use of language. In this Storypath Black and Negro is used throughout the textbecause those were the terms of the time period. Be sure to explain why these terms are used inthis Storypath before beginning the unit.

CUSTOMIZE THE UNITAdapt the Unit. There will likely be many times in this unit when you will want to modify thecurriculum to suit your own needs and follow the logical progression of the story. Alternateactivities or special arrangements are suggested at various points during the unit to assist you inadapting it to meet your unique needs.

Frequently, students will provide an unanticipated twist to the Storypath, or important learningopportunities will arise. The Storypath allows for the accommodation of those circumstances.

There are times when students will role-play the characters in the story to understand a particularviewpoint. At other times students will reflect on the events of this unit out-of-role so thatsituations can be examined and understood from the student’s own perspective. These areopportune times to help students connect their own experiences and deepen their understandingof these historical events.

Address your goals. You may decide to adapt the setting or the events of the time of this unit.For example, other critical incidents could easily be substituted or added depending on your


specific curriculum goals. Or, you can set the Storypath in your community if it has specialsignificance for these historical events.

Integrate literature. There are many excellent books that tell stories of young peoples’experiences of living in the South during segregation and particularly during the Civil RightsMovement. Plan your reading program--literature circles work well--so that students are readingthese books while they are participating in the Storypath. Another option is to select one of thebooks for read aloud before or during the Storypath. Suggested references follow at the end ofthis section.

Connect to other Storypaths. There are a number of published American history Storypaths thatcan accompany this unit. The Early Northwest Coast People examines culture and historicalevents faced by native people as they encountered traders, settlers, and other significant events ofthe time. The Struggle for Independence explores the founding of the nation and the roles ofPatriots and Loyalists. A Nation Divided, available on the WEB(http://classes.seattleu.edu/masters_in_teaching/teed521/ssNation.html), examines the eventswhich surrounded the Civil War time period. To order the units, visit SRA athttp://www.sra4kids.com/everydaylearning/storypath/index.html or call 1-888-SRA-4543.

INVOLVE OTHERSInvolve Families. Family members may have special knowledge about this time and/or place.Family stories, letters, or photographs can add a personal dimension to this unit of study. Invitethem to share what they know. Timing is everything. Sharing the personal stories is mosteffective when the Storypath is well underway or when those documents are pertinent to aparticular event.

Involve the Community. There may be people in your community who can serve as guestspeakers or there may be special exhibits about the Civil Rights Movement. In January whenMartin Luther King’s birthday is observed, there may be special events that students can attend.Plan for these events to coincide with the Storypath so students can meaningfully participate inthem. Guest speakers and field trips should occur at the end of the unit when students canknowledgeably compare and contrast their own experience to the new information they arereceiving. This makes for a more powerful and memorable learning experience.

Create a Learning Community. An open and supportive atmosphere is essential for students toengage in the discourse that is basic to the learning process of the Storypath approach. Studentsshould understand the value of reflective discussions and the importance of collaborative work todeepen their understanding of complex ideas. Consequently, students should be expected tolisten and respond thoughtfully and respectfully to one another’s ideas.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCESREFERENCESAdoff, A. The Poetry of Black America. New York: HarperCollins, 1973.

Belfrage, S. Freedom Summer. New York: The Viking Press, Inc., 1965.Provides a personal account of a young white civil rights volunteer in the summer of 1964.


Cagin, S. & Dray, P. We Are Not Afraid: The Story of Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney andthe Civil Rights Campaign for Mississippi. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1988.Recreates the environment and circumstances of the Mississippi Summer Project.

Carson, C., D.J. Garrow, G. Gill, V. Harding, D. Clark Hine (eds.) The Eyes on the Prize CivilRights Reader. New York: Penguin Books, 1991.

Durham, M. Powerful Days: The Civil Rights Photography of Charles Moore. New York:Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1991.

Engelbert, P. American Civil Rights: Primary Sources. Detroit: UXL.Presents fifteen documents, including speeches, autobiographical text, and proclamations, relatedto the Civil Rights Movement and arranged in the categories of economic rights, desegregation,and human rights.

Heath, W. The Children Bob Moses Led. Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, 1995.Historical fiction that describes the volunteer civil rights experience in Mississippi in the summerof 1964.

Seeger, P. & Reiser, B. Everybody Says Freedom: A History of the Civil Rights Movement inSongs and Pictures. New York: W.W. Norton, 1989.

Sutherland Martinez, E. (ed.) Letters from Mississippi. Brookline, MA: Zephyr Press, 2002.Personal letters written by volunteers of the Mississippi Summer Projects.

Tusa, Bobs M. Faces of Freedom Summer. Tuscaloosa, AL.: The University of Alabama Press,2001.Provides a photo essay and text of the Mississippi Freedom Project focusing on HattiesburgMississippi.

Williams, Juan. Eyes on the Prize. New York: Penguin Press, 1988.

Young, A. Andrew Young An Easy Burden. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1996.A memoir of Andrew Young’s experiences in the Civil Rights Movement.

REFERENCES FOR STUDENTSBurch, J.J. (1994). Marian Wright Edelman. Brookfield, CT: The Millbrook Press.Recounts the story of Wright Edelman’s life and her work in civil rights and as a children’sadvocate. An excellent book to read at the conclusion of the Storypath as many of theexperiences of this Storypath were directly related to Wright Edelman’s life.

Coleman, E. White Socks Only. Morton Grove, IL: A. Whitman, 1996.Grandma tells the story about her first trip alone into town during the days when segregation stillexisted in Mississippi.

Curtis, C.P. The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963. New York: Delacorte, 1995.

Davis, O. Just Like Martin. New York: Puffin Books, 1992.


The main character is a young teenage boy living in the South during the Civil RightsMovement. He becomes active in the Civil Rights Movement in his small town at the time of theMarch on Washington.

Haskins, J. Freedom Rides: Journey for Justice. New York: Hyperion Books for Children,1995.Recounts the freedom rides to integrate buses that began in 1854 and continued into the 1960s.Haskins vividly writes about the events and the people who risked their lives to move integrationforward.

Lawrence, J. Harriet and the Promised Land. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1997.

Levine, E. Freedom’s Children. New York: G.P. Putman, 1993.

Nickens, B. Walking the Log: Memories of a Southern Childhood. New York: Rizzoli, 1994.Through beautiful illustrations, Nickens tells about everyday life in the South from a child’spoint of view.

Parks, R. Rosa Parks: My Story. New York: Dial Books, 1992.Provides insights into Parks’ life and times and the courageous stand she took to integrate busesin Birmingham, Alabama.

Patterson, C. The Civil Rights Movement. New York: Facts on File, Inc, 1995.Provides an overview of the Civil Rights Movement. Written in textbook style but veryinteresting reading.

Powledge, Fred. We Shall Overcome. New York: Atheneum Books for Children, 1993.

Rochell, Belinda. Witnesses to Freedom. New York: Lodestar BooksProvides lots of interesting information about the war.

Summer, L.S. (2000). Rosa Parks: Journey to Freedom. Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World.Examines the life and accomplishments of Rosa Parks, as well as her impact on the Civil RightsMovement.

CDs“Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs,” SmithsonianFolkways Recordings, Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.Documents the music and words of the Civil Rights Movement. “Mass Meeting and Prayer” is arecording of words spoken at a church in Mississippi where citizens are asked to register to voteat the courthouse.

VideosEyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years. (1986) “Episode 5: Mississippi: Is ThisAmerican? (1962-1964),” Boston, MA: Blackside, Inc. (60 minutes)This episode recounts many of the events of this Storypath with television news footage,interviews, and photographs.


A History of the Civil Rights Movement, (1994). Schlessinger Video Productions. (30 minutes)A documentary that highlights the Civil Rights Movement from Plessy vs. Ferguson to JesseJackson’s bid for the presidency.

A Time for Justice. (1992). America’s Civil Rights Movement. Montgomery, AL: TeachingTolerance. (38 minutes)Provides historic footage and voices of people of the Civil Rights Movement.

WEB SITESBirmingham Civil Rights Institute: http://bcri.bham.al.us/index.htm

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site: http://www.nps.gov/malu/Civil Rights Oral History Bibliography (Mississippi) http://www-dept.usm.edu/~mcrohb/

National Association of the Advancement of Colored People: http://www.naacp.org/

The Troy State University of Montgomery Rosa Parks: Library and Museum:http://www.tsum.edu/museum/

National Civil Right Museum: http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org

Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement: http://www.wmich.edu/politics/mlk/

ART MATERIALS TO HAVE ON HAND• butcher paper—various colors• poster board• construction and tissue paper—various

colors• glue/paste/tape/scissors• markers/colored pencils/crayons/yarn• assorted craft materials• wallpaper and/or fabric scraps• Optional: wool fiber for hair

• Optional: old clothes to dress life-sizecharacters

• Optional: video/tape recorder/CD player• Optional: vintage toy telephone from the

early 1960s, dial telephone, or telephonereceiver

• Optional: old magazines or photo albumsfrom the early 1960s

OVERVIEW OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDSCulture and Social Interaction: The study of culture and cultural diversity including the humaninteractions among groups and institutions.• Identify ways different societies and cultures address similar human needs and concerns.• Demonstrate an understanding of how people interact with their physical environment and

social conditions.• Cite ways in which language, stories, music and artistic creations express culture and

influence behavior.History: The study of ways people view themselves in and over time.• Identify examples of change and cause-and-effect relationships.• Cite examples of how people in different times and places view the world.

Geography: The study of people, places, and environments.• Examine the interactions of people with their environment and changes that occur over time.


Civic Competence: The study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship that lead to acommitment to action.• Identify key ideals of the United States’ republican form of government.• Identify examples of freedoms, rights, and responsibilities of citizens.• Identify and practice selected forms of civic discussion and participation.• Explain actions citizens can take to influence public policy decisions; recognize and evaluate

the variety of formal and informal actions that influence and shape public policy.

Social Skills: The ability to work effectively in a group.• Organize, plan, make decisions, and take action in group settings.• Persuade, compromise, debate, and negotiate in the resolution of conflicts and problems.• Work with others to decide on an appropriate course of action.

Critical Thinking Skills: The ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate.• Use criteria to make judgments through such processes as appraising ideas, considering

points of view, and evaluating statements or positions on issues.• Organize ideas in new ways.• Define issues or problems and consider alternatives. Then make a decision based on

evaluation of alternatives.

Communication Processes/Speaking and Listening• Use listening and observation skills to gain understanding.• Communicate ideas clearly and effectively.• Use communication strategies and skills to work effectively with others.• Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of formal and informal communication.

Reading Processes• Understand and use different skills and strategies to read.• Understand the meaning of what is read.• Read different materials for a variety of purposes.

Writing Processes• Write in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.• Understand and use the steps of the writing process.• Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of written work.


CREATING THE CHARACTERS: Civil Rights WorkersINTRODUCING THE STORY AND CHARACTERS page 12Students are introduced to the Storypath and then listen to a speech invitingthem to volunteer to register Negroes to vote in Mississippi.Materials

GroupingSchedule

Read aloud book about life in the South, see suggestions in textTeaching Master 1-1, Flyer: Civil Rights Meeting, p. 18Teaching Master 1-2, A Call to Action: Civil Rights for All, p. 19Activity Guide 1A, Interview, p. 21Whole classApproximately 45 minutes

CREATING THE CHARACTERS FOR THE STORY page 14Students create civil rights workers and their biographies.

Materials

GroupingSchedule

Activity Guide 1B or 1C, Making a Character, p. 23 or 24Activity Guide 1D, Character Biography, p. 25For the characters:• various colors of construction and tissue paper• yarn/wall paper and/or fabric scraps /cotton balls• colored markers/crayons/colored chalk/glue orpaste/tape/scissors• wool fiber for hair• large sheet of butcher paper or poster board• for head and torso figures, clothes hangers/old clothes shirts,blouses or sweatshirts to dress life-size charactersStudents work individually to create characters2 hours

CONCLUDING EPISODE 1 page 15Students introduce their characters to the class.Materials

GroupingSchedule

Materials to make a journal for each characterOptional: Teaching Master 1-3, Civil Rights Events, p. 19Optional: Teaching Master 1-4, Timeline: James Meredith, p. 20Optional: Camera, film or computer camera, computer, printerWhole class for introductions and discussionApproximately 1 1/2 hours spread over several days, plus time fortimeline and sharing

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

History Create examples of how people lived and worked in the 1960s.

Social Skills Organize, plan, and make decisions while creating characters.

Critical Thinking Organize ideas from class discussion in new ways to create unique

characters.


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CONNECTListening forInformationWhen students arelistening anddiscussing areading they are:·Demonstratingunderstanding ofmain ideas andsupporting details·Making inferencesor predictions·Interpretinggeneral andspecializedvocabulary.

INTRODUCING THE STORY ANDCHARACTERSLaunching the unitTell students that they will be creating a story about the CivilRights Movement that takes place in the summer of 1964.Discuss the elements of a story with students: characters (thepeople in the story), setting (when and where the story takesplace), and plot (critical incidents). Explain that in 1964, the termAfrican American was not used. African Americans were calledNegroes or Blacks; when we are in-role in our story, we will usethe terms of that time period.

To provide students with a sense of this time, select a readingfrom the suggestions that follow--or a similar book--and read italoud asking students questions to help them gain a sense of thetime:• Powledge F. (1993). We Shall Overcome. New York:

Atheneum Books for Children, pages 1-4.• Summer, L.S. (2000). Rosa Parks: Journey to Freedom.

Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World, pages 6-10 or 24-29.

With a sense of drama explain that the story begins with studentsbeing invited to a meeting. Distribute or post the TeachingMaster 1-1, Flyer: Civil Rights Meeting, that invites students to ameeting.

Explain that students are now participating in the story andintroduce the speaker. Explain that this is 1964 and Mr./Ms. (youselect a suitable name) has come to give a speech about what hasbeen happening in the southern United States regarding civilrights. With a sense of drama, you or the role player readTeaching Master 1-2, A Call to Action: Civil Rights for All, andthen allow for some silent reflection at the conclusion of thespeech.

Activating prior knowledgeBegin a discussion by asking questions such as the ones thatfollow. The purpose of the questions is to have students recallimportant information from the speech and to identify theirprevious knowledge of this time period. Record their responsesso that this can serve as a reference as the Storypath proceeds.• What has happened in the South related to civil rights?• Why do you think there is so much tension around Negroes

wanting to be treated equally?• Why is registering to vote important?• How do you think the Negroes feel about the events described

by the speechmaker?

CUSTOMIZESetting the stage

If possible, havestudents move toanother room for themeeting and arrange forsomeone other thanyourself--someone whostudents don’t know--togive the speech. Thiswill change thedynamics of theclassroom and set thestage for the speechthat is to follow.


CUSTOMIZEManagement TipYou may havealready establishedsimilar guidelinesfor classdiscussion, if so itmay be worthreviewing theseguidelines as youbegin this unit ofstudy

by the speechmaker?• How do you think Whites feel about the Civil Rights

Movement in the South?• Do you think all Whites feel the same way about what is

happening?• What else do you know about this time period?• What was life like in the 1960s?• Do you think you would accept the invitation to go to

Mississippi to register voters?

Discussing classroom climateDiscuss with students how they can talk about sensitive issuesand respect each other's ideas. Encourage students to constructtheir own guidelines, but guide the discussion so that studentsconsider the following ground rules:• Each person has the opportunity to speak.• Listeners do not interrupt the speaker.• Listeners listen carefully to what is said.• Anything personal that is shared is kept confidential in the

classroom.

Introducing charactersExplain that the students’ story is going to be about the peoplethat volunteered to travel to the South to register voters in thesummer of 1964. Explain that each student will create his or herown character for the story--a civil rights worker.

Use such questions as follow to get the discussion underway:(Make a list of students’ ideas so that they can be used as areference as students develop their characters.)• What kind of people might want to participate in this activity?• What would the person value?• What would the person’s family value?• What kind of person could arrange to take a summer away to

do this?• Would there be any risks to participate? Risks at home?

Risks in Mississippi?• What kind of events in the person’s life might have happened

to make him or her want to participate?

After students have discussed the above questions explain tostudents that in our democracy citizens can take action to changethe way things are. These civic actions are the rights we have ascitizens: the right to free speech, the right to move from one placeto another, and the right to disagree with each other.

To provide a context for their discussion of life in the 1960s, askstudents to interview a member of their family or neighbor to

AUTHOR NOTEElaborating onresponsesWhen students providean answer to thequestion, ask them tosupport their responseand use their ideas toconnect to other ideasyou want them tounderstand. For exampleif someone suggests thata minister mightvolunteer ask: “Whywould a minister want tovolunteer? What wouldthat person value tomake this kind ofdecision?”


âAUTHOR NOTE

Making theCharactersStarting with thevisualrepresentation ofthe characterallows students toimagine who thisperson might beas they make thefigure. Asstudents areworking, askquestions such ashow old is yourcharacter, whatname will youchoose for yourcharacter, how didyour characterbecome interestedin the Civil RightsMovement?Questions such asthese helpstudents elaborateon the charactersthey are creating.

learn more about that time period. Review the Activity Guide 1A,Interview to prepare students for the interview. Have students dothe interview and then share their responses. Make lists of theirresponses and save for a reference in Episode 2.

CREATING THE CHARACTERSDeciding on the charactersBrainstorm ideas for developing the characters and make a listthat can be saved as a reference for students writing theirbiographies. Students will make the visual representation first andthen write the character biographies.

Here are questions to get the brainstorming underway:• What is your character’s name? (Brainstorm a list of

possibilities for first and last names.)• How old is your character? (Remind students of their earlier

discussion regarding the range of ages of people that mightparticipate in this project.)

• What date was your character born? (Remind students it’sJune, 1964.)

• What does “place of birth” mean? (The place where you wereborn)

• What are places where people might be born? (Recordstudents' ideas, including cities, states, and other countries.)

• What are some words that describe people’s personalities?(Have students suggest both positive and negativecharacteristics to make their characters more realistic--thesepersonality traits can later be used to help students thinkthrough how their character will respond to the criticalincidents.)

• What does your character currently do? ((People came from arange of professions including college students, teachers,professors, ministers, technicians, artists, and legal advisors.)

• What hobbies does your character have? (This is a goodopportunity to discuss what kinds of activities people engagedin in the 1960s--computers were not well known, VCR’s,cellular phones, and video games did not exist.)

• What values does your character have? (Again refer studentsto their earlier discussion and add to the list if appropriate.)

• What life event might have led your character to participate incivil rights activities? (If students have begun to work on thecivil rights timeline, suggest that their characters might havebeen involved in one of the earlier events--have students notethe dates on the timeline to determine whether their characterwas old enough to have participated. Also, refer students totheir previous discussion and then add more ideas.).

CONNECTLanguage ArtsWhen they work onActivity Guide 1A,students are practicinginterviewing.(communication skills)

AUTHOR NOTESelecting Names forCharacters“It gets confusing if thecharacters’ names are thesame as the students’, soencourage students to useother names rather thanthe names of students inyour class.”

CUSTOMIZEHistorical FiguresStudents may want toselect real people forcharacters. This addsanother layer of complexityto the story line asstudents may be overlyconcerned aboutportraying the characterauthentically. The learningexperiences are just aspowerful with fictitiouscharacters; imaginarycharacters allow studentsgreater flexibility andcreativity in responding tothe critical incidents of theStorypath.

CUSTOMIZECelebrating DifferencesMany paper companiesnow sell constructionpaper that reflects thedifferent colors of people.This is the perfectopportunity to celebrateour multicultural heritage.


CONNECTHistoricalInformationAs students createtheir biographiesthey may seek outhistorical facts tosupport theircharacterdescriptions—having books andother resourcesavailable for thisresearch isimportant. Yourquestions, as theydevelop theircharacters, willkeep students ona pathway that isconsistent with lifeof that time.

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Developing the charactersOnce students have decided on the character’s role, they will needto decide how their characters look and what they might wear inthe 1960s. Provide a range of resources including picture books tohelp them think about these issues.

When students have decided the general traits of their characters,have them use Activity Guide 1B or 1C to make their figures—orprovide instructions for making another type of figure.

Check the WEB site for examples of students’ characters andclothing styles of the 1960s: http://www.vintagevixen.com

Displaying the civil rights workersDisplay each civil rights worker with space to add otherinformation such as biography, suitcase, writing activities, andsouvenirs that students will create.When the biographies are finished, display them next to thefigures of the characters.

Writing biographies for the charactersOnce students have created their characters, distribute ActivityGuide 1D, Character Biography. Using their list of ideas fromthe brainstorming and their visual representation of the character,have them write the biography. Then have students place theirbiographies next to their characters.

Assessing biographies To assess the work, observewhether students have:

• included information that is logical to the premise of thestory.

• listed values consistent with the goals of civil rights.• related information consistent to the time period.• clearly described an event that supports values related to civil

rights.

CONCLUDING EPISODE 1Meeting the characters as a classExplain to students that a series of meetings have been planned sothat the civil rights workers can meet each other before they leavefor their trip. Encourage students to use their biographies to helpthem prepare their introductions. Have students take on theidentity of their characters as they practice presenting theirintroductions to a partner. Discuss such ideas as how theircharacters stand, speak, and move to develop their dramaticpresentations. Give students the simple guidelines below forpreparing their introductions. You can also use the guidelines as

CONNECTLanguage ArtsWhen they work onActivity Guide 1D,students are practicingelements of writing abiography.(biography)


CONNECTDramaWith partners,have studentspractice emotionalresponses to theirpersonalitycharacteristics.Have one or twostudents model forothers how ahappy or seriouspersonality mightbe and havestudents identifyhow the studentsproject thosecharacteristics in arole-play. (developan awareness ofemotions)

AUTHOR NOTEConnecting thecharacters toeach otherIn the classroomwhere I piloted thisunit, studentscreated characterswho were sisters,and one groupdecided to havean adopted sisterwho wasaccompanyingthem toMississippi. The

adopted sister’s

birth parents hadbeen killed byracial violence.Two characterswere in a rockband together.Encouraging theserelationships andelaboration of thecharacters amongthe students buildsmeaning for theStorypath.

preparing their introductions. You can also use the guidelines asan assessment checklist.• Write out important information, such as job and life event(s)

related to civil rights.• Keep your introduction short.• Speak clearly and confidently.• Practice your introduction with a partner. Make

improvements as necessary.

After students have introduced their characters to their partner--and incorporated any improvements they’ve thought of--have afew students each day introduce their characters to the wholeclass. This is a good time to remind students of the classroomclimate guidelines established earlier.

After each introduction, allow time for students’ questions aboutcharacters. Ask questions yourself to stimulate students’ thinking.For example, “Does (name of character) work well with others?Do you know any of the other people who have decided toparticipate in this project? How did you know each other?” Thesekind of questions help students elaborate on their characters--onthe spot--and connect them to other characters that have beencreated.

Discussing students’ experiencesGive students time to reflect on their work. Students can begin ajournal for their civil rights worker that can be used throughoutthe Storypath to record their responses to the various events:• What am I thinking as I prepare to leave for Mississippi?• What concerns does my family have about this trip?As students proceed through the journaling process, you can usethe assessment rubric below to enhance reflection skills.

Assessing the journaling process. You could create acontinuum for students to help them assess their reflection skillsthroughout the Storypath.Strong reflection skills• Provides reasons for statements; explains thoughts.• Distinguishes fact from opinion.• Relates thoughts to other ideas; makes connections.• Compares and contrasts, infers, assesses.Acceptable reflection skills• Provides reasons for statements; supports main ideas with

reasons.• Explains some thoughts.• Can identify point of view.Developing reflection skills• Summarizes activity, no reasons provided for statements.

CONNECTLanguage Arts

Practicing and giving theintroductions provides anatural context forstudents to develop theirspeaking and listeningskills. Students need tolisten carefully tointroductions so that theycan ask meaningfulquestions about thecharacters.(speaking/listening)

CUSTOMIZEManaging theIntroductionsSpread the introductionsover a number of days.This will allow enoughtime for all students tointroduce their charactersto the whole class. Inaddition to lettingstudents get to know theindividual characters asthe story unfolds, thistime frame will maintainstudents’ interest. Whilestudents are doingintroductions, move on toEpisode 2.


AUTHOR NOTEDevelopingOwnership“As students givetheir introductions,listen forinformation thatyou can weaveinto the unit as thestory develops.For example, onecharacter might bea goodspeechwriter.Later, you mightask that characterto write a speechto persuadeBlacks to vote.

• Does not explain ideas, just lists them.• Identifies just facts with no additional discussion.

Photographing the events (optional)Students can photograph the events of the Storypath and artifactsgenerated for the Storypath with a 35mm camera or a digitalcamera to make a photograph album. They could begin by takingphotos of the civil rights workers who will journey to Mississippiintegrating real photos of that time period into the album. Laterthey can pretend they are boarding the bus to leave, waving good-bye and so forth. Assigning two or three students to take picturesthroughout the unit works well or students can trade off for eachepisode. Captions can be added to the photographs.

Assessing Students’ photo album Students should be able to:• organize the photos into a logical sequence.• demonstrate understanding of the historical events of the time.• capture the emotional responses to the events.• create captions that relate to the photos

Optional Timeline ActivityTo provide background information for this Storypath, havestudents create a pictorial and written timeline of events leadingto Freedom Summer. Teaching Master 1-3, Civil Rights Eventsprovides a list of suggested events, but you may have others youwish to add to the timeline. Students should use a variety ofresources to locate information about the events.

If students have access to the Internet, they could downloadphotos of these events to include in the timeline or draw or copypictures that represent the event. Newspaper photos or photos ofthe person highlighted would work well for this assignment. Ifpossible, have students create the timeline parallel to Episodes 1and 2. Have students make brief reports on the events overseveral days so that everyone becomes acquainted with theinformation. Discuss with students why these events areimportant in a democratic society--people working to ensure thatthey have the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The timelineactivity provides a context for the critical events that areintroduced later in the unit. Teaching Master 1-4, Timeline:James Meredith, provides a model for creating the timelineevents.

AUTHOR NOTEMaking Sense of theStory“Once students see thepossibilities for askingquestions about thecharacters, they becomemore engaged in theprocess. Many questionswill require students tothink of an answer on thespot and students willwant their answers tomake sense in thecontext of the story.”


Episode 1Teaching Master 1-1

FLYER

Civil Rights MeetingTonight!

Come to hear aboutsummer opportunities

in the South

You can make a difference!The summer of 1964 can

change the nation.VOLUNTEER NOW!



A CALL TO ACTION: CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ALLLadies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to this very important meeting. I am here this evening to share with yousome important information that may change the direction of this nation.

The United States Constitution sets forth a promise of a just society. Unfortunately the promise of a just society hascontinued to allude the Negro people of the United States.

The Civil War was fought, in part, to free the slaves and to provide equality for Negroes. The 15th Amendment of theUnited States Constitution which was ratified in 1870 states

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the UnitedStates or by any state on account of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude.

Today in Mississippi, Negroes are denied the right to vote. How can we, as a nation, make decisions about peoplebased solely on the color of their skin? How can the color of your skin determine whether you can vote? People in1964 are divided by their skin color--this is not fair; it is wrong!

People are divided by skin color --black and white--when they attend school.People are divided by skin color--black and white--when they go to the movies, Blacks in the balcony, Whites on themain floor.People are divided by skin color--black and white--when they use a drinking fountain, one for Blacks and one forWhites.People are divided by skin color--black and white--when they ride a bus, Blacks in the back of the bus, Whites in thefront, Blacks standing, Whites sitting.People are divided by skin color--black and white--when they are waited on in a store, Blacks wait while Whites areserved first.

We live in a nation that declared that all men are created equal. Where is the justice and equality guaranteed by ourConstitution?

The time has come for Negroes to stand up for their rights and share in the American Dream equally with all citizens.Many have worked for these rights. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, Medgar Evers, and manymore. You may ask, why am I here tonight? Why am I giving this speech? All of us must work together for justice andequality. I am here this evening to ask for your help.

This summer we want to register Mississippi Negroes to vote so that they can exercise their rights as citizens. Weneed volunteers to come to Mississippi to help. All of us working together from every race and creed can make adifference and ensure that justice and equality are guaranteed for all.

Will you volunteer? I don’t want to fool you. This will not be easy. Many folks do not want to see change in the South.They do not want to see Negroes voting. There may be violence. There is risk. However, we cannot allow thesethreats to deny people their Constitutional rights. If Americans from many walks of life come together to stand up forthe rights for all people, our nation will be a better place. I hope you will join me. Do you want a more just society? Ihope your answer is yes.

Thank you ladies and gentlemen.



CIVIL RIGHTS EVENTS

1896 Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson rules segregation is constitutional.1909 The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is

founded.1914 The Universal Negro Improvement Association is founded by Marcus Garvey.1939 Marion Anderson sings at a concert at Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday.1942 The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) is founded by James Farmer and others in

Chicago.1947 Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American baseball player for the major

leagues.1947 Freedom Riders test the Supreme Court ban on segregation in interstate travel on

Trailways and Greyhound buses.1948 President Truman orders armed forces desegregated.1954 The Supreme Court rules in Brown v. Topeka Board of Education that racial

segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.1955 Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery,

Alabama.1957 Martin Luther King helps to found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

(SCLC).1957 Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas is integrated.1960 Students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College stage a sit-in at a

Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina.1960 The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) is organized.1961 Thirteen people--White and Black--board Trailways and Greyhound buses and travel

through the south. Outside of Birmingham, Alabama, an angry mob sets fire to one ofthe buses and the riders are beaten by the mob as they flee the bus.

1962 James Meredith becomes the first Black to enter the University of Mississippi.1963 Martin Luther King and other civil rights workers work to integrate downtown

Birmingham, Alabama’s lunchrooms and restaurants and stage nonviolentdemonstrations in the city. King and others are arrested.

1963 Children participate in nonviolent demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, and arearrested.

1963 Medgar Evers, who worked to desegregate stores, businesses, and public facilities inJackson, Mississippi, is murdered.

1963 Martin Luther King and others organize a march on Washington to draw attention to civilrights and jobs for Black Americans.



TIMELINE JAMES MEREDITH

James MeredithOctober 1, 1962

(place photo or drawing here)

James Meredith was the first AfricanAmerican to attend the all-white Universityof Mississippi. To ensure his safety, federalmarshals protected him. When Meredithfirst tried to register for classes, GovernorRoss Barnett blocked the door to thebuilding and would not let him register.Finally he was allowed to register, and onOctober 1, 1962 he began to attendclasses.


Name: _________________________________________ Date: _________________Episode 1Activity Guide 1A

Interview

Step 1 Find someone to interview that can tell you about life in the early 1960s.This person can be a member of your family, family friend, or neighbor whocan remember life in the early 1960s.

Step 2 Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the interview.Explain that you are beginning a study of the early 1960s and you needto know about life at that time. Ask the person if he or she has photographs,a high school yearbook, or other items to show you from that time period.

Step 3 Ask the questions below. Add more questions if you want.On a separate sheet of paper write the answers to the questions.

• What did you like to do for fun in the 1960s?

• What were some of your favorite places to go?

• What kind of food did you like to eat?

• What kind of clothes did you wear?

• What kind of music did you listen to?

• What were some of your favorite television shows?

1. What do you have today that you didn't have in the early 1960s?

1. What were the issues in the news?

• Can you tell any special stories about your life at that time?

Step 4 Thank the person you interviewed.


Name: _________________________________________ Date: _________________Episode 1Activity Guide 1B

MAKING A CHARACTER(Making Full-size figure)

Use the steps below to create a character. Then decide what your character will looklike, including hair, facial expression, and clothing.Step 1 Make the body.

Draw a rectangle about 2 1/2 inches wide by 4 inches long.Cut out the rectangle.

Step 2 Make the head.Draw a circle about 2 inches in diameter.Cut out the circle.

Step 3 Make the arms and legs.For the arms, draw two rectangles about 4 inches long by3/4 inch wide.Draw two more rectangles approximately 1 inch longer for thelegs.Cut out the rectangles.

Step 4Tip: Do not glue thebody onto paperbecause it will behard to dress.

Put the body together.Position the head, arms, and legs on the body.Glue the body together.

Step 5 Make clothing.Place the body on fabric or paper.Trace around the bodyshape to make clothing.

Step 6 Mount your character on construction paper.Glue your character on construction paper and glue clothing onthe figure.Add details such as hair, feet, hands, facial features, jewelry, orany other items you want for your character.


Name: _________________________________________ Date: _________________Episode 1Activity Guide 1C

MAKING A CHARACTERMaking Head and Torso Figures

Use the steps below to create a character. Then decide what your character will look like,including hair, facial expression, and clothing.

Step 1 Make the face.On a sheet of flesh colored construction paper, draw an oval about 9 incheslong and 6 inches wide.Cut out the oval.

Step 2 Make the eyes.Fold white paper in half so you can cut out two eyes at once.Trim the eyes to make them the size and shape you want.Color the pupil--the black spot--on each eye.Measure halfway down on the face and place the eyes there.Note: Don't glue the eyes in place until you've made the nose and mouth.

Step 3Tip: Don't glue thenose on yet.

Make the nose.Fold a scrap of paper in half and then cut out half a nose.When you unfold the paper, you'll have a whole nose.Place the nose, slightly folded, on the face. Experiment with nose shapes andsizes.

Step 4Tip: Do not glue themouth on yet.

Make the mouth.Draw a mouth and cut it out.Slightly fold the mouth the long way.Measure midway between the eyes and chin and place the mouth there.

Step 5 Glue the face together and add other features.Once you have decided where the eyes, nose, and mouth should be on theface, glue them in place.Then add other features, such as eyelashes, eyebrows, and shading forcheeks.

Step 6Tip: Use yarn, tissuepaper, cotton balls,wool fiber, or curledconstruction paper.

Add hair and ears.Decide on the hair you want for your character. Add ears by cutting out shapesand gluing them to the sides of the face.

Step 7 Make a TorsoAdd a neck and upper body to your character.Use construction paper, wall paper scraps, or cardboard to make a shirt, suit,or blouse.You might instead attach the head to a hanger using heavy tape and hang areal shirt or blouse on your character.


Name: ________________________________________ Date: _________________Episode 1Activity Guide 1D

CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY

Character’s name: ______________________________________________________(first name) (last name)

Age: _____________ Date of Birth: _______________________________________

Place of Birth: _________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Personality characteristics: _______________________________________________

Current job: ___________________________________________________________

Hobbies: ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Favorite leisure activities: ________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Values: _______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Life event related to civil rights: ____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________


CREATING THE SETTING: Preparing for the Bus TripMAKING PREPARATIONS page 27Students make plans for a trip to Oxford, Ohio for training to work in theMississippi Summer Project in Jackson, Mississippi and then organizethemselves into committees to plan for the trip.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

NoneWhole class, followed by committees with 5-6 students per groupApproximately 30-40 minutes

CREATING THE SETTING AND ARTIFACTS page 28Students prepare for the trip by locating information and making visualrepresentations of items they will need.Materials

GroupingSchedule

• bulletin board or wall space for displaying artifacts• various colors of construction and tissue paper, poster board orchart paper for lists, large sheet of butcher paper for the bus• colored markers/crayons/glue/tape /scissors/blue tack• Road map to plan trip from students’ state to Oxford, Ohio andthen to Jackson, Mississippi• Optional: Clothing catalogs and magazines from the 1960s,old photo albums, and other resources that provide informationabout life in the early 1960sTeaching Master 2-1, Price List p. 32Activity Guide 2A, The Bus Committee, p. 33Activity Guide 2B, The Travel Route Committee, p. 34Activity Guide 2C, The Food Committee, p. 35Activity Guide 2D, The Clothing Committee, p. 36Activity Guide 2E, The Entertainment Committee, p. 37Optional: Record/tape/CD player for playing musicPlanning committees2-3 hours, can be done over several days

CHOOSING A LEADER page 29Students decide on a leader or leaders for their trip.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

None Whole classApproximately 30 minutes

CONCLUDING EPISODE 2 page 30Students share their plans for the trip and reflect on their plans by writing intheir journals.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

Artifacts and charts created for the tripCommittees to present information to whole classApproximately 1 1/2 hours, including time for writing

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Culture and Social Interaction Demonstrate an understanding of how people interact

with their physical environment and social conditions when planning a trip. Identify ways

the groups meet their needs in the context of the 1960s.

Geography Consider geographic characteristics to plan a trip.

Social Skills Participate in organizing, planning, and making decisions to plan for a trip.

Work within a committee structure to plan the trip.

Critical Thinking Use information about climate, geography, and purpose to plan a trip.

Organize information in new ways.

Civic Competence Identify and practice civic discussion and participation to choose a

leader for their trip.


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AUTHOR NOTELearning ProcessThis episode isimportant in that itdevelops anunderstanding for timeand place. As studentsresearch the informationnecessary for their trip,they begin to gain anunderstanding of life inthe early 1960s.

MAKING PREPARATIONSMaking PlansIn this episode students will plan for their trip and makevisuals of various aspects for the trip as well as life in theearly 1960s. The visuals help students imagine, in moreconcrete terms, life at that time.

Explain that now that the characters have been created fortheir story, they must now plan their trip to Oxford, Ohiowhere they will prepare for working in the MississippiSummer Project. They will be gone approximately threemonths. Tell students that they will travel by bus to Ohio andthen by car to Mississippi. Use questions such as the onesthat follow to begin a discussion of the trip.

• What kind of bus do you think we should take to get toOxford, Ohio?

• How long do you think it would take us to get to ourdestination?

• What route will we follow to get there?• What will we need to pack for our trip? What will the

weather be like?• What shall we take along to pass the long hours on the

road?• What kind of food might people eat?• What did people do for leisure?

Getting OrganizedIf students can manage to organize themselves, then givethem that responsibility. If you think they need guidance,here are suggested planning committees to help students getthe tasks underway--activity guides are provided to assist thevarious committees.

• The bus committee makes a mural of the bus. Theydecide on the kind of bus, make it authentic to the timeperiod, and make a large drawing of it -- approximately4' by 6', but it may need to be smaller if there is limiteddisplay space.

• The travel route committee uses a road map to decide onthe best route from their home to Oxford, Ohio and fromthere to Jackson, Mississippi. They need to decide howfar to travel each day and where to stop and spend thenight. They figure out the cost of gas for the bus--10miles to the gallon and 30¢ for a gallon of gas. Theytrace the route and stops on the map and display it.

AUTHOR NOTEExpect theUnexpectedStudents mayencounter problems asthey work through thisprocess. Fold theseproblems into thestoryline for students tosolve letting thestudents guide thestory.


CONNECTSocial SkillsAllowing students tofigure out how toorganize themselves forthe tasks takes time, butprovides students with acontext for developingtheir organizational andsocial skills. If studentswork through theseorganizational tasks ontheir own, use the socialskills rubric pages 73 toassess their work.Another option is toprovide students withthe rubric and havethem target certain skillsto work on while theywork through thisprocess. Developingsocial skills is one of theimportant benefits ofStorypath.

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• The food committee coordinates with the travel routecommittee to determine meals and snacks along the way--remind students that they will need to do some researchto make sure that their plans are consistent with thetimes. For example, Haagen-Dazs ice cream stores werenon-existent in the United States in the early 1960s, butDairy Queens were in business at that time. They willmake a poster of food, where to eat, and budget for mealsand snacks. Students are on a limited budget so theyneed to figure out how to travel frugally. You canprovide students with a budget based on how many daysit would take to travel to Oxford, Ohio. Teaching Master2-1 provides a price list of food from the 1960s. Providestudents with a budget. Two dollars a day per person is areasonable amount for that time period. Suggest tostudents that they interview older people in their familyto find out the kind of meals people ate in the 1960s.

• The clothing committee makes a poster of recommendedclothing for the trip. They consider clothes for men andwomen, acceptable clothing for the time period, length ofstay, climate, and working conditions. (Old magazinesand photo albums can provide some tips on clothingstyles of the early 1960s.)

• The entertainment committee decides on the kind ofactivities students will engage in while on the long busride including the music that the characters will listen to.They should make a poster of suggested activities.

CREATING THE SETTING ANDARTIFACTSCompleting the activitiesArrange students into groups, approximately 5 or 6 studentsper group. The groups complete the tasks of theircommittees. Some groups are likely to finish before others.In those cases have students make name tags for thecharacters by writing the name, age, and occupation. Thiswill help students remember all the characters during therole-plays.

Another option is for students to make a banner that theycould put on the side of the bus. Later in the unit whenstudents are refused service at a restaurant, you can discusswhether or not it is a good idea to have the banner

CUSTOMIZEInterviewsGrandparents and olderfriends and relativescan be interviewedabout• meals and snacks

popular in the early1960s

• clothing styles• entertainment.

AUTHOR NOTEAdapting Characters"As students learn moreabout the trip plans, lifein the 1960s, and thepeople, they may wantto change or addinformation about theircharacter. Tell studentsthat in order to changetheir character, they willneed to create a storyexplaining the change.For example, a studentcan add moreinformation about acharacter’s backgroundby creating a vignettethat explains this newinformation."


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AUTHOR NOTERole PlaysIt has been myexperience that studentsare eager to participatein role-plays. Once theyrealize that theirimagination and ideasare importantingredients to theprocess, they invest inthe storyline and make ittheir own. Occasionallya student will introducean implausible idea, butclassmates willgenerally challenge thestudent’s idea and thestory will be modified tomake it more plausible.

prominently displayed and what risks are associated with thesign on the bus.

Lots of discussion should occur--refer to students’ interviewsin Episode 1 to help them understand that families probablyonly had one television, one radio, one car, and so forth.Video games, VCRs, CDs, Faxes, Internet were unknown.

CHOOSING A LEADERDiscussing leadershipAsk students if they need a leader and why would a leader beimportant for their trip. Assuming that the students decidethat a leader, co-leaders, or some other leadership system isnecessary, focus students’ attention on qualities ofleadership. Use questions like the following to start adiscussion about leadership. Make a list of students’ ideas.

• What qualities and skills are important in a leader?• How might a leader(s) be chosen from the group ofcharacters?

After the discussion, have students devise a way to choose aleader. Again, it is best if they work through the problem andits solution with you only intervening if the process becomesnon-productive. Before students begin, remind them toconsider characters with the appropriate qualities.

Once a leader(s) is chosen, turn over the decisions of theStorypath to the leader as much as possible. Be prepared forchallenges and conflicts as the story unfolds, and use thesesituations as “teachable moments.”

Facilitating role playsAt various times during the Storypath, you will want to dorole-plays with the students so that they continue to connectwith the civil rights workers they have created. Watch foropportunities that would allow a few students to move intothe role of their characters to react or respond to a situation.An event that is directly from their own story is important toconnect students to the Storypath.

A few students at a time can participate while others watch.Keep the role-plays short--about three to five minutes. Youcan set the scene for the role-play, ask a question to start therole-play, or pose a problem. For example, you might ask astudent if his or her character attended the march onWashington last summer. Ask the student in role to tell what

AUTHOR NOTEManaging theselection of a leader"Students tend to selectthe most popularmember of their class tobe the leader. Havingstudents listqualifications forleadership and thencompare theircharacters'characteristics to thelist, helps studentsfocus on characters, notstudents. Gender, age,and ethnic issues mayalso surface in thisdiscussion."

CONNECTDramaThese role-playsdeepen students’understanding of thecharacters and storyand boost motivationand commitment, too.(improvisation)


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CONNECTLanguage Arts“As the Storypathunfolds, students cancreate a word bank.This unit provides a richcontext for learning newvocabulary.”

it was like and how he or she happened to be there. Thenprompt students as necessary to move the role-play along. Orask two students to have a conversation about how they arefeeling about preparing for the trip. They can role-play thisconversation for the class.

The first few times students are involved in the role-playselect students who you believe would be good models forothers who participate later. The role-plays provideopportunities for assessment of student understanding of theconcepts, storyline, and their ability to use new informationin logical and meaningful ways.

CONCLUDING EPISODE 2Sharing plans for the tripOnce the plans are completed, have the leader of the grouporganize a meeting to share the plans. Each committee canmake a presentation with each committee member having apart and presenting in the role of his or her character. Youmight give students these simple guidelines to prepare theirpresentations:1. Make a list of three important facts you want to shareabout your topic.2. Keep your presentation short and to the point.3. Speak clearly and confidently.4. Practice your presentation in your committee. Makeimprovements before giving the presentation again to theclass.

You can use this checklist to assess students’ presentations.

After each presentation, give students a chance to askquestions. The presenters may need to conduct furtherresearch in order to answer some questions at a later time.This will encourage students to learn from a “need to know.”

Assessing students’ oral communicationUse the criteria listed in “Connect” to assess students’ oralcommunication.

JournalingOnce again, give students time to reflect on their work.Students can continue to write in their journals as civil rightsworkers planning their trip. The following questions canassist students in thinking about their trip in the role of theircharacter.

• What are your feelings about the trip?

CONNECTOral CommunicationSharing informationabout a specific topicdevelops students’ oralcommunication skills.Focus on key factswhen telling about thetopic. (focusing)Use the visual toillustrate key points.(using visuals)Use new vocabulary incontext. (vocabularydevelopment)

AUTHOR NOTEWriting“It's important at thispoint that studentsundertake languageactivities that help themgain ownership of thestoryline and develop arich vocabulary fortalking about this timeperiod. My experienceis that student writingrelated to this episode isvery rich, and I think thisis because studentshave been intimatelyinvolved in creating thecontext for the story."


• What do your think the trip to Oxford, Ohio will be like?• How does life in the early 1960s affect the plans for the

trip?• How does planning for a trip to the South in the summer

of 1964 affect you? Consider both the climate and place.• What challenges will you face?

Assessing the journalsYou can use the criteria outlined in Episode 1, page 18 toassess students’ learning. Students should share their journalwriting in groups, with a partner, or with the whole class.


Episode 2Teacher Master 2-1

PRICE LIST

Foodapples 10¢ a pound bacon 49¢ a poundbaked beans 12¢ a can bread 28¢ a loafcatsup 39¢ a bottle coffee 38¢ a poundcrackers 25 ¢ 16 oz package ham 46¢ a poundmargarine 15¢ a pound milk 26¢ a quartpeanut butter 51¢ 18 oz jar peas 15¢ a canpumpkin pie cooked 25¢ potato chips 43¢ 1 pound boxpotatoes 99¢ 10 pounds salad dressing 43¢ a jarchicken noodle soup 16¢ a can cheese 78¢ a poundchicken 41¢ a pound 1 dozen eggs 50¢pork chops $1.44 a pound rice 22¢ a poundsugar 2¢ a pound tea bags 48 67¢butter 75¢ a pound soda pop 5¢ a can

Fast Foodhamburger 15¢ soda pop 10¢French fries 10¢ milk shake 15¢Walgreen'sbreakfast

33¢hotcakes/bacon

Walgreen's lunch 49¢ pot pie

Clothingdress $5 - $15 women’s slacks $10.00men’s shirt $3.00 men’s slacks $5.00 - $10.00sweater $5.00 -$7.00 shoes $8.00 -$20.00

Other Itemscamera $149.50 stereo $124.95Polaroid camera $99.95 record $1.7719" television $170.95 typewriter $49.95movie tickets 75¢ 10 speed bicycle $55.95pen $1.98 school bag $3.00haircut (barbershop)

$2.50 makeup kit $6.50

magazine 25¢ paper back book 10¢ - 25¢


Name: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________Episode 2Activity Guide 2A

THE BUS COMMITTEEWork with your committee to create the bus that the civil rights workers will travel in to Oxford,Ohio.• Everyone should offer

ideas.• List as many ideas as you

can.

Step 1: Brainstorm the kind of bus you will have andthe features that are needed. Be as specific aspossible. Remember this is a bus in the 1960s.Make a list of ideas.

Step 2: Prioritize your ideas. As a group, choose theideas that you want to use.

• Everyone should look forideas for the bus.

Step 3: Research. Where will you find the informationyou need to make your bus?

Step 4: Do a sketch of the bus on scratch paper beforeputting it on butcher paper. Add details. Makeit as accurate as possible. Decide what artmaterials you will use to make the bus.

• Make sure everyone has ajob.

• Ask questions to help eachother.

• If you finish early, helpsomeone else.

Step 5: Assemble art materials and assign tasks.Committee Member Job Assignment

____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________

• Keep presentation shortand to the point.

• Speak clearly andconfidently.

Step 6: Prepare presentation to the class.• Make a list of three important facts to

share about your bus.• Practice your presentation. Everyone

should have a part.

• Everyone should write aresponse to the questions.

• After writing a responsediscuss as a group.

Step 7: Assess your work.• Was I flexible in working in the group, did I

do my task and help others when needed?• Was I positive and respectful of my

committee members?• Did I listen carefully to others?• Did I work to resolve disagreements in the

group?• Did I do my fair share of the work?


Name: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________Episode 2Activity Guide 2B

THE TRAVEL ROUTE COMMITTEEWork with your committee to create the travel route to Oxford, Ohio and from Oxford toJackson, Mississippi.

• Everyone should offerideas.

• List lots of options beforedeciding the travel route.

Step 1: Get a road map and plan your travel route fromwhere you are to Oxford, Ohio and thenJackson, Mississippi. Remember you aretraveling by bus to Oxford, and then by car toJackson. Think about how far you will traveleach day, where you will stop for meals,restrooms and rest stops, and where you willstay overnight. You need to arrive by June 14.

Step 2: Make a draft of your ideas. Check with thefood committee to coordinate plans.

• Everyone should have atask.

Step 3: Make a draft of each day of travel. Include adaily schedule: departure times, meal times,bathroom breaks and rest stops. Calculate thenumber of miles between points. Figure gasmileage. 10 miles per gallon; 30¢ a gallon.

• Use your best penmanshipor make a chart on thecomputer, but make itlarge enough so it can beread from a distance.



Step 4: Once you finalized your plans, make a chart fordisplay. Everyone should have something to do.Divide up the work.

Committee Member Job Assignment____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________




share about your travel route.• Practice your presentation. Everyone

should have a part.








Name: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________Episode 2Activity Guide 2C

THE FOOD COMMITTEEWork with your committee to plan meals and snacks to Oxford, Ohio. Remember you have abudget to follow.

Step 1: Coordinate with the travel committee to figureout how many days it will take to travel toOxford, Ohio. You need to arrive by June 14.


• List lots of ideas beforemaking final plans.

Step 2: Brainstorm ideas for meals. How many peoplewill be on the trip? What kind of food dopeople like to eat? What are some ways we cansave money on food? Look at the Price List tohelp you calculate costs.

• Everyone should have atask.

Step 3: Make a draft of meals for each day of travel.Remember meals should be nutritious and wellbalanced. Calculate the cost of food for thetrip. Can you afford to eat at a restaurant?Food should average $2 per day per person.

• Everyone should havesomething to do. Divide upthe work.

• Use your best penmanshipor make a chart on thecomputer, but make itlarge enough so it can beread from a distance.



Step 4: Once you finalized your food plans, make achart for display.

Committee Member Job Assignment____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________




share about your food plans.• Practice your presentation. Everyone

should have a part.








Name: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________Episode 2Activity Guide 2D

THE CLOTHING COMMITTEEWork with your committee to plan the clothes you will need on your trip to Oxford, Ohio and inJackson, Mississippi. You will be in Jackson about two months. Once you get to Jackson, you willbe able to use a washing machine.

Step 1: Coordinate with the travel committee to figureout how many days it will take to travel toOxford, Ohio--there won’t be time to washclothes while traveling. You need to be in Ohioby June 14.



Step 2: Brainstorm ideas for clothes. What will theweather be like in Jackson, Mississippi? Whatkind of clothes will be needed? Do you needdress up clothes? How do we want to presentourselves? Remember, clothes say a lot aboutthe person. What were the clothing styles of1964? What did people typically wear?

• Everyone should doresearch.

Step 3: Research. Look at old photo albums, clothingcatalogs, or magazines of the 1960s. Whatwere people wearing? Add ideas to your list.

• Everyone should have ajob to do.

Step 4: Draft two lists of clothing to take--one formen, one for women.

• Everyone should havesomething to do. Divideup the work.

Step 5: Once you finalized your lists, make a chart fordisplay.

Committee Member Job Assignment____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________

____________________ __________________




share about your clothing lists.• Practice your presentation. Everyone

should have a part.• Everyone should write a

response to the questions.







Name: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________Episode 2Activity Guide 2E

THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEEWork with your committee to plan activities on the bus trip to Oxford, Ohio.

Step 1: Coordinate with the travel committee to figureout how many days it will take to travel toOxford, Ohio. You need to arrive by June 14.



Step 2: Brainstorm ideas for entertainment--while onthe bus and in the evenings. What fun activitiesdid people do in the 1960s? What music waspopular in 1964? What songs might peoplehave sung together on the trip?

• Everyone should doresearch.

Step 3: Research. Look at magazines or otherresources to find out what people did in theearly 1960s for entertainment. Locate musicfrom the early 1960s. Ask your grandparentsor older friends for ideas. Add ideas to yourlist.


Step 4: Draft a list of activities.

• Everyone should havesomething to do. Divideup the work.

Step 5: Once you finalized your list, make a chart fordisplay. If possible, gather examples and placeon a table in front of your chart.

Committee Member Job Assignment____________________ ___________________

____________________ ___________________

____________________ ___________________

____________________ ___________________

____________________ ___________________




share about your entertainment activities.You might want to play music of that time.

• Practice your presentation. Everyoneshould have a part.

• Everyone should write aresponse to the questions







CRITICAL EVENT: Service RefusedNARRATING THE TRIP page 39Students imagine themselves leaving on their trip to participate in FreedomSummer.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

Students’ journalsWhole class, individuals for journal writingApproximately 20 minutes

CREATING A CONTEXT FOR THE CRITICAL INCIDENT page 39Students participate in training sessions for working in the Freedom Schools.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

Teaching Guide 3A, Security Bulletin, pp. 44-45Whole groupApproximately 1 hour

ROLE PLAYING THE CRITICAL INCIDENT page 41Students are refused service at a restaurant.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

Teaching Master 3-1, Refusing Service, p. 43Whole group Approximately 40 minutes

CONCLUDING EPISODE 3 page 42Students reflect on and write about the restaurant event.Materials

GroupingSchedule

Optional: Toy dial telephone or telephone receiverStudents’ journalsWhole class for discussion, individuals for journal writingApproximately 30 minutes

EPISODEOBJECTIVES

Culture and Social Interaction Identify ways different groups respond to similarhuman needs and concerns. Identify ways in which different groups of people interactwith their environment and social conditions.History Identify how being refused service in a restaurant--and similar actions--led topeople’s actions regarding demands for justice and equality. Identify how the attitudesof people are shaped by the events of the time.Civic Competence Identify examples of freedoms, rights, and responsibilities ofcitizens. Participate in civic discussion. Explain how actions citizens take can reflecttheir values and beliefs.Social Skills Plan and make decisions about being refused service in a restaurant.Determine an appropriate course of action to respond to the refusal of service.Critical Thinking Define the issues related to being refused service, consideralternatives, and make a decision based on the evaluation of the alternatives. Organizeideas from class discussion and observation in new ways and apply those ideas todiscussing the refusal of service and how to respond.


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NARRATING THE TRIPSetting the stageIn this episode students will participate in a training sessionin Oxford, Ohio where they will learn about the jobs in theFreedom Schools and about safety and security when theyget to Jackson, Mississippi. Later in the episode, they travelto Jackson and are refused service at a restaurant becausethey are seen as outsiders coming into Mississippi to maketrouble. Many people in Mississippi did not want to seechange in the traditions and way of life of the people--bothBlacks and Whites. The purpose of this critical incident is topresent students with the strong sentiments of the period, andhelp them understand the types of choices people in thesetimes had to make.

Tell students to imagine that they are their character and ontheir way to the Mississippi Summer Project. First stop isOxford, Ohio where they will receive training for their workin Mississippi. Then read the following narrative to students,modify this narrative, or write your own narrative to set themood for the trip.

We leave bright and early this June morning--the dew is onthe grass as the sun has yet to rise above the horizon. Wehave all said good-bye to our families and friends and withgreat anticipation we set out on our journey. We know thereare many challenges ahead this summer--we are going tomake a difference. We are standing up for justice andequality. In the pits of our stomachs there are butterflies, aswe know that we are taking a risk--standing up for what youbelieve often means taking a risk. Will the Negro people ofMississippi welcome us? Will they be glad that we havecome to help? How will others feel about our arrival? Arewe in danger by going to work in Mississippi? The butterfliesnow are doing somersaults in the pits of our stomachs as wecome face-to-face with the realities of our summer.

The bus is moving out. Our families and friends wave good-bye and each of us ponders our own thoughts. The mood onthe bus is one of quiet and solemn reflection.

CREATING A CONTEXT FOR THECRITICAL INCIDENTNarrating the story continuesRead the following narration--modify if necessary to meet

CUSTOMIZE Arranging the SettingRole-play the narrativeby arranging chairs asthough students wereon a bus; students canclimb on board and sitin their seats as youread the narrative, or ifpossible, have a schoolbus available todramatize the role-play.It may be helpful tohave students wearnametags of theircharacters for the role-plays throughout theStorypath.

* Cagin, S. & Dray, P. We Are Not Afraid: The Story of Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney and the Civil RightsCampaign for Mississippi. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1988, p. 30.


AUTHOR NOTEValuing theconversation"As students discuss theincident, theconversation will reflectstudents’ efforts to makesense of the event,listen to each other’sviewpoint, and thinkmore deeply about theissues as they constructshared understandings.This is one of thevaluable features of theStorypath."

AUTHOR NOTEProvide backgroundinformationExplain that MartinLuther King encouragedpeople to be nonviolenteven though civil rightsworkers were oftenthreatened withviolence. Discuss withstudents why Kingthought this was anappropriate way torespond--people wouldbe more sympathetic tothe Civil RightsMovement if they sawpeople being beatenand not fighting back.

the specific situation of your storyline.

Our trip has gone well. We’ve been playing cards in theevening and Monopoly has been popular with the group. Weare getting to know each other better because of all the timewe have been on the bus. Our trip has been uneventful andby tomorrow we should reach Oxford, Ohio. We are travelweary but know that this is just the beginning.

We arrive in Oxford and begin our training on the evening ofJune 14. We are greeted by 29 year-old Bob Moses who isthe director of the Mississippi Summer Project. He hasworked a number of years in the South on civil rights and isvery inspiring. He explains that people coming from outsideof Mississippi to register Negro voters will shine a spotlighton the injustices. He tells us: "Don't come to Mississippi thissummer to save the Mississippi Negro. Only come if youunderstand, really understand, that his freedom and yoursare one…. Maybe we’re not going to get very many peopleregistered this summer. Maybe, even, we're not going to getvery many people into freedom schools. Maybe all we'regoing to do is live through this summer. In Mississippi, thatwill be so much!"*

The tension grows as we think about the risks we are takingto make a difference. To release the tension we playvolleyball and soccer. In the evening we strum guitars andsing freedom songs.

ROLE PLAYING THE TRAINING SESSIONExplain to students that they will now participate in atraining session. Explain that they are in a meeting and willbe learning about security while they are in Jackson,Mississippi. Distribute Activity guide 3A, Security Bulletin.Have students discuss the Security Bulletin in small groupsand then discuss as a large group in role. Help students tounderstand why these security measures were important.Also, remind them that cell phones and internet were notavailable at this time so keeping in touch was more difficult.

Other optional activities for the training sessions:• Have students practice defending themselves in

nonviolent ways. Civil rights workers were instructed tocarry a jacket at all times to protect their heads in casethey were beaten. They practiced lying on the ground in afetal position and covered their heads with their arms.

• Role-play defending the characters' position on civilrights and the Summer Freedom Project.

AUTHOR NOTEThe Adult Role-Play"Having a trustingrelationship withstudents for this roleplay is essential. Whenthe role-play iscompleted, it should beclear to students thatthe adult in the role ofrestaurant owner wasrole-playing and theattitudes and commentsdo not reflect thatperson’s true beliefs. Itis important to have thatperson speak to thedifficulties of playing therole and the feelingsthat were evoked bysuch a role-play.

CONNECTLanguage ArtsTo reinforce newvocabulary, havestudents identifyunfamiliar words afterthe presentations; addthe new vocabulary tothe word bank.(vocabulary)

CUSTOMIZECalling HomeAt the conclusion ofclass each day, one ortwo students can callhome, thus bringingclosure to the day’sactivities, reinforcing theevents of the day, andproviding opportunitiesfor everyone to make acall during theStorypath.


âCONNECTLanguage ArtsIf you use a writing traitprogram for the writingprocess, this is a goodopportunity to developstudents’ understandingof “developing ideas”and the “organization”process.

CONNECTDramaStudents can developdrama skills byconsidering thefollowing questions asthey plan theirpresentations:

Remember how youintroduced yourself incharacter. How can yourcharacter shareinformation about life,and events of this time?

Are there props orcostumes that can helpyou dramatize yourpresentation?

How can you use toneof voice to communicateinformation? (developtheatrical expression)

Optional: Students can reflect on this experience now or waituntil the end of the episode.

ROLE PLAYING THE CRITICALINCIDENTNarrating the storyRead the following narration--modify if necessary to meetthe specific situation of your storyline.

We are leaving Oxford, Ohio after a week of training andheading to Jackson. We will travel in cars leaving our bus inOxford. The bus draws too much attention and we don't wantto draw attention to ourselves. That would be risky.

There is an air of nervousness as we near our destination.Again, we wonder how we will be received? It is nearing theend of the day, and we have decided we will soon stop fordinner. Up ahead we see a restaurant, and it looks like agood place to stop. We are hungry--those peanut butter andtuna fish sandwiches we had for lunch didn’t keep us full forvery long.

We are tired at the end of the day. The nervousness of thisSummer Project has made us all a little stressed. Well nevermind, a good dinner and a chance to get a good night’s sleepwill prepare us for the last leg of our journey.

Role playing the eventHave students pretend they are parking their cars andentering the restaurant. If possible have them leave theclassroom and return as though the classroom is therestaurant or have them walk to the lunchroom or anotherplace in school with the understanding that they are enteringthe restaurant.

At the door have an adult--or you--announce to the studentsthat they will not be served. See Teaching Master 3-1 forsuggestions for the role-play. Let the events unfold and thennarrate or pose questions to move the critical incident along.When the time is right stop the role-play and have studentsreflect on what is happening. You may want to re-enter therole-play after students have had time to consider theoptions. Then they can role-play the critical incident to itsconclusion.

AUTHOR NOTEExpect theUnexpectedStudents eagerlyparticipated in thetelephone call role-plays; however, we didhave to remind themthat there were no pushbutton telephones onlydial telephones. Onestudent’s character hadbeen a cook in theWhite House so hedecided to call thePresident to let himknow what washappening.


âCONCLUDING EPISODE 3Reflecting on the critical incidentInitiate a discussion on the restaurant event using suchquestions as the ones that follow:• How did you feel when you were refused service?• What are some words that describe those feelings?

(Make a list so students can refer to these words whenthey do their journal writing.)

• Why do you think the owner did not want you in his/herrestaurant?

• What options did you have?• Do you think these situations really happened in the past?• Why do you think people believed that they had the right

to refuse service? What events in the past might have ledthem to that view?

• What did the person who refused you service value?How do you think that person came to hold those values?

• What issues are at stake related to the rights,responsibilities, and freedoms we have as citizens of theUnited States?

Have a few students call home to tell their families what ishappening in Mississippi. Students will role-play this welland this will provide information to you on how wellstudents understand the Storypath. Thus, you can clarifyinformation, pose new questions, or summarize the events.

JournalingOnce again, give students time to reflect on their workindividually. Students write in their journals as civil rightsworkers experiencing the events of the training and therestaurant. The following questions can assist students inthinking about their trip in the role of their character.

• What are your feelings about what is happening?• How does it feel to be refused service?• How does this affect you?

Again, you can use the criteria outlined in Episode 1,pages 16 and 17 to assess students’ journaling skills.Students should share their journal writing in groups, with apartner, or with the whole class.


Episode 3Teacher Master 3-1

REFUSING SERVICE

Time: June 1964Place: On the road to Jackson, Mississippi, local restaurantYour role: Restaurant ownerCharacters (students): Civil rights workers traveling to Mississippi to register Blacks tovote.

Students are on their way to Jackson, Mississippi to work in a Freedom School toregister Black citizens so they can vote and be represented in the Mississippi FreedomDemocratic Party--Blacks have been banned from joining the Democratic Party inMississippi.

The students have just completed a weeks training for the Summer Freedom Projectand have just left Oxford, Ohio to travel to Jackson, Mississippi. They are nearing theirdestination and have decided to stop for supper and eat in a restaurant.

Meet the students at the door of the restaurant and tell them that you will not serve thembecause they are outsiders. Threaten them and tell them they should turn around andgo home because the "good people of Mississippi don't want them in their state." Tellthem that outsiders are unwelcome and shouldn't be interfering in something that isnone of their business.

Add any other details or "insults" appropriate to this particular situation. Continue therole-play as an improvisation depending on the students' response.

Allow time after the role-play to debrief the critical incident so students understand thatyou were playing a role and do not hold the values and feelings that were stated duringthe role-play.


CRITICAL EVENT: Stay or LeaveCREATING A CONTEXT FOR THE CRITICAL INCIDENT page 47Students meet to learn about the tasks at the freedom school.

MaterialsGroupingSchedule

NoneWhole classApproximately 20 minutes

RESPONDING TO THE NEWS EVENT page 47The meeting is interrupted with news about the disappearance of three civilrights workers. Students consider the disappearance and decide whether theyshould stay or leave.

Materials

GroupingSchedule

Teaching Master 4-1, News Bulletin: Disappearance of CivilRights Worker, p. 49Teaching Master 4-2, Missing Person’ Poster, pp. 50-51

Whole classApproximately 40 minutes

CONCLUDING EPISODE 4 page 48Students reflect on and write about the news event.Materials

GroupingSchedule

Optional: Toy dial telephone or telephone receiverStudents’ journalsWhole class for discussion, individuals for journal writingApproximately 30 minutes

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

History Identify how the disappearance of the civil rights workers influenced people’sactions regarding demands for justice and equality. Identify how the attitudes of peoplewere shaped by the events of the time.Social Skills Plan and make decisions about whether to stay on with the project orreturn home.Critical Thinking Define the issues related to the disappearance of the civil rightsworkers, consider alternatives, and make a decision based on the evaluation of thealternatives. Organize ideas from class discussion and observation in new ways andapply those ideas to discussing how to respond to a situation.Civic Competence Identify examples of freedoms, rights, and responsibilities ofcitizens. Participate in civic discussion. Explain how actions citizens take can reflecttheir values and beliefs.


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AUTHOR NOTEBackgroundknowledge"Depending on students’prior knowledge, youmay need to explainhow presidential partyconventions selectedtheir candidate forpresident. Unlike todaythe nationalconventions.Candidates werechosen at the primaryelections did notdetermine thecandidates that wouldbe running for officeprior to the nationalconvention."

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CREATING A CONTEXT FOR THECRITICAL INCIDENTNarrating the storyRead the following information or adapt to your specificsituation.

We have arrived in Jackson, Mississippi and we are eager tobegin our work. We will be living with Black families andworking in the community. Life is very different from life athome. We are meeting new people and making friends. It isobvious that these families are taking a big risk by allowingus to live with them. Outsiders coming in--especially Whitepeople--this has never happened before. People are shockedthat White people are living in Black people’s homes. Youcan feel the tension in the air. Many people don’t want to seechange. They don’t want these outsiders coming in andstirring up trouble.

This summer it is important to get people registered to vote.In August there is a national presidential convention and wewant the Black voices heard at the convention. Since Negroescannot join the Democratic Party in Mississippi, we aregoing to form the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Inother words, Negroes will have their own party, but theyneed lots of people registered to vote so that they can supportthis new party. The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Partywill be open to all people whether Black or White. We needto get as many Black people registered to vote as possible.We have our work cut out for us!

Calling a meetingExplain that a meeting has been called to explain the workthat needs to be done. You or another adult can play thatrole, or you can brief the student who was chosen leader ofthe group to do this.

Discuss with students how meetings are conducted:• one person at a time talks.• wait to be called on.• listen to each other.• be courteous.

RESPONDING TO THE NEWSEVENTIntroducing the news bulletinInterrupt students’ meeting with a sense of urgency. Read thenews bulletin--or have the announcement read over the


AUTHOR NOTEGuiding theDiscussion"Before the meetingbegins, review expectedbehaviors for themeeting."

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school intercom. Dramatize this event. Teaching Master 4-1,News Bulletin: Disappearance of Civil Rights Workersprovides the text.

Display the Missing Persons’ Poster, Teaching Master 4-2.Use questions like the ones below to help students thinkabout the news event.

• What did the news bulletin tell us?• What information is on the Missing Persons’ Poster?• Why do you think this happened?

Suggest that the group leader hold a meeting to discuss thisevent and how this will impact the other volunteers. Studentsshould be in-role for this meeting. Brief the leader byexplaining members of the group should decide whether theyshould stay or return home--their lives may be in danger. Letthe meeting unfold and you serve as narrator to the meetingby adding important information, posing questions, orsummarizing. As much as possible let the students run themeeting. Discuss what they might do to ensure their ownsafety if they decide to stay.

If students decide to leave and return home, then yourStorypath ends at this point. You will want to subtlety guidethe discussion so that students decide to stay and continuetheir work if you want students to consider the other eventsof the Storypath.

Have students review the Activity Guide 3A, SecurityBulletin, Episode 3. Ask groups of students to discussspecifically what they need to do in role to keep themselvessafe, then discuss in a meeting format with the whole class.

CONCLUDING EPISODE 4JournalingOnce again, give students time to reflect on their workindividually. Students write in their journals responding tothe disappearance of the civil rights workers and the decisionto stay. The following questions can assist students inthinking about this event in the role of their character.• How did you respond to the news of the disappearance of

the civil rights workers?• How does this affect you? How are you feeling?• How are people’s attitudes and values shaped by these

events?

Again, you can use the criteria outlined in Episode 1, toassess students’ journaling skills. Students should share theirjournal writing in groups, with a partner, or the whole class.

AUTHOR NOTEStudents' response tothe event"When students in apilot classroom werefaced with the questionto stay or leave, theytook a vote and alldecided to stay. Theysaid they realized therisks, but it was tooimportant to give up andgo home. They alsodecided that theyshould stay in groupsand not go anywherealone."

AUTHOR NOTEValuing theconversation"As in previousepisodes, students willengage in importantconversations to makesense of newinformation, solveproblems, and workcollaboratively as theyconstruct sharedunderstandings. Yourquestions andcomments can guidethem along a pathwayof new understandingsas well."


Episode 4Teaching Master 4-1 NEWS BULLETIN:

DISAPPEARANCE OF CIVIL RIGHTS WORKERS

Three civil rights workers have disappeared: Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and JamesChaney. Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner are volunteers who have recently arrived inMississippi to help with voter registration. James Chaney, a native Mississippian, has beeninvolved in the Civil Rights Movement for some time.

On Sunday, June 21, the three men had gone to investigate the burning of a Black church nearLawndale. About 3:00 PM their car was stopped for speeding by Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price nearthe town of Philadelphia, Mississippi. The three men were taken to jail but released later thatnight. They have not been seen since. If you know the whereabouts of these men, please callyour local police department.


BUILDING CONTEXT: The Freedom School

INTRODUCING THE FREEDOM SCHOOL page 53Students meet to learn about the tasks at the freedom school.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

NoneWhole classApproximately 20 minutes

WORKING AT THE FREEDOM SCHOOL page 54Students prepare lessons, displays, and speeches and present them at acommunity meeting.Materials

Grouping

Schedule

Activity Guide 5A, Creating Posters, p. 58Activity Guide 5B, Preparing Speeches, p. 59(Optional) Activity Guide 5C, Creating Displays, p. 60(Optional) Teaching Master 5-1, Voter Registration, pp. 61-62Poster board and art supplies for posters and displays(Optional) Music, percussion instruments, CD, record or tapeplayer(Optional) CD Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil RightsMovement Through Its Songs, Number 15, “Mass Meeting andPrayer”Optional: Clothing for the event representative of the early1960sStudents create groups to work on the various projects and thenmeet as a whole class to make presentationsApproximately 2-3 hours

CONCLUDING EPISODE 5 page 57Students reflect on and write about the events at the Freedom School.MaterialsGroupingSchedule

(Optional) Index cards for postcardsWhole class for discussion, individuals for writingApproximately 30 minutes

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Civic Competence Identify examples of freedoms, rights, and responsibilities ofcitizens. Explain how voting affords rights and responsibilities to citizens. Participate incivic discussion. Explain how actions citizens take can reflect their values and beliefs.Social Skills Plan and make decisions to prepare for a presentation.Critical Thinking Define the issues related to the protesters, the civil rights workers,and the Black citizens, consider alternatives, and make a decision based on theevaluation of the alternatives. Organize ideas from class discussion and observation innew ways and apply those ideas to discussing how to respond to a situation.


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AUTHOR NOTEBackgroundknowledge"Depending on students’prior knowledge, youmay find that moreexplanation is needed tounderstand why voterregistration is soimportant. At that timeBlacks had to pass atest and this was theway in which Blackcitizens could be deniedtheir right to vote--thetest was arbitrary andthus Blacks failed thetest."

INTRODUCING THE FREEDOMSCHOOLNarrating the storyRead the following narrative or adapt to meet the specificstoryline of your classroom.

We made the difficult decision to stay here even though weknow that our lives may be in danger. We must now beginthe work that we came to do. We are setting up a “freedomschool.” This school will teach Blacks of all ages to read andwrite and prepare them to register to vote. We also have toconvince people to come to our school so that we can teachthem and get them prepared to register to vote.

We know that in order to vote, Blacks have to complete avoter registration form and on the form they have to answerquestions about the Constitution of Mississippi. One of theitems asks about what it means to be a citizen. We will haveto help people decide the best way to answer that question.

Our first task is to get people to come to the Freedom Schooland then convince them to register to vote. We have lots ofwork to do.

Getting organizedLay out the tasks that need to be done. You can also providea copy of the items below to the student who plays the roleof the leader:

• Create posters to encourage people to register to vote.• Create a speech to convince Negroes to vote. When civil

rights workers go door to door they need to know whatthey will say to the people about why they should vote.Negroes have been told if they try to register to vote,they will lose their jobs, be beaten, or possibly killed.Think carefully about what to say to convince them toregister to vote.

• Many Negroes have never had the opportunity to go toschool so they are unable to read and write. Becausemany Negroes cannot read or write, they have lots tolearn about their history. Displays that tell about Blackhistory need to be created.

Ask students to think about what kind of task their charactermight do:


CUSTOMIZEReinforcing socialskillsIt may be time to revisitcooperative group skillsand the classroomclimate chart. At the endof the unit a checklistprovides suggestions forsocial skills. You maywant to target skills thatneed attention such as"does fair share of thework.”

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• Write speeches to convince people to register to vote• Make posters to encourage people to register to vote• Make displays about Black history--events or important

Black people.

Have students sign up for the task they would like to workon--as much as possible, let students make their own choices.If the distribution of work is unequal that’s not a problem aslong as there is at least one group for every task.

Activity guides (5A, 5B, and 5C) are provided to assiststudents in making posters, speeches, and displays. As muchas possible let students organize their work. Provide atimeline so that you can maintain the pace of the Storypath.There is a sense of urgency as the summer provides littletime to get everything accomplished.

Brainstorm words, phrases, or themes that can beincorporated into their posters, speeches or displays. Teachlessons as necessary to help students research, write, andprepare presentations.

WORKING AT THE FREEDOMSCHOOLNarrating for the storyRead the following information or adapt to your specificsituation.

Work has begun at the Freedom School; many Negroes inthe community have come to the school to work with us andstudy for the voters’ registration test. We are getting to knowthe people in the community and new friendships are beingformed. We are learning how hard life is here and what itmeans to be segregated and discriminated against becauseof the color of one’s skin. We are told of threats people havereceived when they have gone to the courthouse to registerto vote. Is this America? Is this what our nation stands for?We know we must work for justice and every citizen has theright to vote. There are many jobs to do at the FreedomSchool. Some of us are writing speeches to convince peopleto register to vote, others are helping with the voterregistration test, and some are creating banners and postersencouraging people to vote. These are the actions we cantake as citizens to make a difference. We know we will beasked to give speeches and display our posters so we aredoing our best work. This is important work.

CONNECTLiteratureRead Freedom Summerby Susan Belfrage toprovide a context for theFreedom School.


AUTHOR NOTEBackgroundknowledge"The voters' registrationform asked ministersand their wives toidentify themselves onthe form. Ministers andtheir wives were seenas agitators and thiswas a method foridentifying them.

Discussing the voter registration test (optional)Distribute the Voter Registration Teaching Master (or make atransparency so that students can see the questions) anddiscuss the items on the test. Explain how items 18, 19, and20 were used to keep people from registering to vote, andthat the county registrar could decide if answers were corrector incorrect. In this way the county register could decide whohad passed or failed the test.

An optional activity is to have students prepare an answer toitem 20. “Write in the space below a statement setting forthyour understanding of the duties and obligations ofcitizenship under a constitutional form of government.”Students could research the answer to this question andprepare a written statement. The National Standards forCivics and Government can provide assistance:

Using a written constitution to set forth the values andprinciples of government and to establish and limit itspowers is among this nation’s most distinctiveaccomplishments. The American system of governmentrelies on its citizens’ commitment to theseconstitutional values and principles set forth in theConstitution, as well as in the Declaration ofIndependence and other writings….

But an equally important purpose of the Constitution isto separate and limit the powers of government so thatthe basic liberties of the people are not infringed. TheBill of Rights was added to the Constitution to clarifyand strengthen limitations on the powers of the nationalgovernment, and it has become central to the Americanidea of constitutional government. *

Assessing the response Students should be able to• Explain essential ideas of the American constitutional

government as expressed in the Declaration ofIndependence and the Constitution.

• The people are the ultimate source of power.• The Constitution is a higher law that authorizes a

government of limited powers.• The Constitution limits the powers of government in

order to protect the rights of individuals--trial by jury;freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly; equalprotection of the law; due process of law; right tocounsel.

Meeting at the Freedom SchoolExplain that a meeting has been set up for people to come tothe Freedom School to listen to the presentations that the

CUSTOMIZEDressing the partOn the day of thepresentation studentscould dress for theoccasion. Ask studentshow they think the civilrights workers would“dress up.” Discuss theclothing styles at thattime. Refer to theclothing committee'spresentation. Forexample, girls mightwear dresses, hats, andwhite gloves. Boysmight wear white shirts,pants--not jeans--and anarrow tie.

CUSTOMIZEAn audienceInvite families to thepresentations providingthem a context for theevent.


CONNECTMusicStudents could learnfreedom songs toaccompany thepresentations. "WeShall Overcome" is agood choice.

CUSTOMIZEVoices from a massmeetingTowards the conclusionof the meeting, play theCD Sing for Freedom:The Story of the CivilRights MovementThrough Its Songs,number 15, “MassMeeting and Prayer”(3:53) for students. Thisis a recording of wordsspoken at a church inMississippi wherecitizens are asked toregister to vote at thecourthouse.

the Freedom School to listen to the presentations that thestudents have been preparing. Suggest that the leader of thegroup in-role call a meeting to discuss how they want toorganize their presentations. As much as possible letstudents organize the meeting and make decisions aboutwhat to do only interject ideas if the meeting does not movethe planning process forward.

Arriving at the Freedom School (Optional)Read the following narrative to students and then discussadapting the questions that follow.

As we drive to the Freedom School to do our presentationswe see a lot of people gathered around the school. They arecarrying signs and shouting at us. The police are here, butthey are standing off to the side just watching. The peopleare getting angrier by the minute. As soon as they see uscoming, they turn away from the school and surged towardus. They are yelling and shouting. They are saying terriblethings and threatening us. They are telling us to go home.“Go back where you came from!” It is truly frightening and Iwonder how we are going to make our way through theangry crowd and into the school. Freedom schools andBlack churches have been burned and fire bombed in thepast. What will happen to us? Today’s crowd looksthreatening enough to do something like that.

Pause and then ask students to imagine themselves walkingthrough this crowd. Allow time for silent reflection and thendiscuss their responses to the situation.• Why do you think the protesters are here?• How do you think it feels to have people shouting at

you?• Will the protesters change your thinking on the issues?• Did you want to leave and not enter the Freedom School?

Why or why not?• Do the protesters have the right to do this?

Doing the presentationsHave students do the presentations as planned; guiding onlyas necessary. You may find that you want to take on the roleof a member of the Black community and challengestudents’ presentations. Tell students that it is easy for themto tell you to register to vote, because they will leave andreturn home at the end of the summer, but you will have tostay and live here. Interject other ideas so studentsunderstand the seriousness of the situation. As narrator askquestions to help students think more deeply about theissues.

CONNECTDramaThe type of unscriptedrole playing suggestedhere deepens students’understanding of thecharacters and storyand boosts motivationand commitment, too.(improvisation)

CONNECTTechnologyThe "Eyes of the Prize"video provides newsfootage of suchprotests. These newsclips can enhance thenarration.

CONNECTLanguage artsIf you are using a six-trait writing program,"voice" and "wordchoice" are suitabletopics of focus.Voice: Does the writerspeak directly to thereader? Can the readersense the person(character) writing theletter/postcard?Word choice: Are thewords chosen specificand accurate to theevent described? Dothe words used vividlydescribe the event? Areverbs lively and gooddescriptions of theevent?


âCUSTOMIZEJournalingStudents could write intheir journals rather thanwrite letters orpostcards.

CUSTOMIZEDemonstratingunderstandingStudents coulddemonstrate theirunderstanding by writinga poem, song, pressrelease, or drawing apicture.

CONCLUDING EPISODE 5Writing homeHave students write a letter or post card telling their familiesabout the events and how they feel about these events.

Assessing the friendly letter/postcard Students should be ableto• write the letter from their character’s point of view.• include accurate information about the Freedom School.• describe how their character felt about the Freedom

School and the protestors.• effectively use “voice” and “word choice” to describe

the events.2. use a friendly letter format.

Optional: Students can share their letters or postcards with apartner, in small groups, or as a whole class.


Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________________

Group Members: ______________________________________________________________

Episode 5Activity Guide 5A CREATING POSTERS

Task: Make a poster to encourage people to register to vote.

Step 1 Brainstorm topics for the poster.

On a separate sheet of paper make a list of your ideas for the poster. Everyone should offer atleast one idea. What words can you use to persuade people to vote?

Step 2 Plan the poster.

Make a sketch of how you will organize the poster. Below are some tips for making posters.

• Create a title--a few key words or phase--that attracts people's attention.

• Would visuals help attract attention? Use drawings, photos, charts, or graphs.

• Keep the poster simple and uncluttered.

Step 3 Assess Your Sketch.

Does it attract attention?Is the information clear and accurate?Is the poster well organized?Have you used color to make the poster attractive and eye-catching?Are words spelled correctly?Have you used punctuation correctly?

Step 4 Make the Poster.

Follow your sketch and make your poster. You may decide to change some of the ideas fromthe sketch as you make your poster. Pencil in where you are going to place information andvisuals before doing the final work.


Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________________

Group Members: ______________________________________________________________

Episode 5Activity Guide 5B PREPARING SPEECHES

Task: Prepare a speech to persuade people to register to vote.

Step 1 Before outlining or writing your speech, think about the problem:

• Research the problem, locating facts that show the problem is real.• Determine what you can say that would persuade people to stand up for their

rights.• Make a list of words that would be persuasive. Hint: Freedom, justice.

Step 2 Prepare your argument, outlining or making notes of your main points. Yourspeech should address these points:

• Start your speech by asking a question, using a forceful quotation, or statingan attention getting fact. (For example: In 1959, there were only one Blackdentist, 5 Black lawyers, and 60 Black doctors in the state of Mississippi!*)

• Be sure to back up your statements of opinions with facts.• Be sure to state the solution to the problem: Register now to vote!

Step 3 Select someone from the group to practice your speech. Speaking clearly anddistinctly. Have the group use this checklist to give feedback.

During the speech, the speaker:� spoke clearly and loudly.� looked at the audience.� clearly stated the problem.� backed up statements of opinion with facts.� gave a solution to the problem.

Step 4 Refine your speech and practice one more time.

*Williams, J. (1987) Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years 1954-1965. New York: Penguin Books, p. 231.


Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________________

Group Members: ______________________________________________________________

Episode 5Activity Guide 5C CREATING DISPLAYS

Step 1 Brainstorm topics for the display.On a separate sheet of paper make a list of your ideas for the display. Everyone should offer atleast one idea. When you select an event, it must be something that happened before thesummer of 1964.

Step 2 Research topics.Decide on four topics for your display. If other groups are working on displays, check with themto make sure you are not doing the same topics. List the four topics below.

___________________________________ __________________________________

___________________________________ __________________________________

Find information about your topic. Take notes. Decide if you are going to photocopy pictures ormake illustrations for your topic. Pictures or illustrations can add interest to your display.

Step 3 Plan the display.Make a sketch of how you will organize the display. Below are some tips for making displays.• Create a title--a few key words or phase--that attracts people's attention.• Would visuals help attract attention? Use drawings, photos, charts, or graphs.• Keep the display simple and uncluttered.

Step 4 Assess Your Sketch.Does it attract attention?Is the information clear and accurate?Is the display well organized?Have you used color to make the display attractive and eye-catching?Are words spelled correctly?Have you used punctuation correctly?

Step 5 Make the Display.Follow your sketch and make your display. You may decide to change some of the ideas fromthe sketch as you make your display. Pencil in where you are going to place information andvisuals before doing the final work.


CONCLUDING EVENT: The Farewell

INTRODUCING THE CONCLUDING EVENT page 64Students prepare to say good bye to Freedom School and their new friends.Materials

Grouping

Schedule

None

Whole class

Approximately 10 minutes

PLANNING AND HAVING THE FAREWELL EVENT page 65Students plan and participate in the farewell event.

Materials

Grouping

Schedule

Art supplies for decorations(Optional) Food, music, artwork for the event

Whole class, groups, and individuals to make preparations for theevent

Approximately 1-2 hours

CONCLUDING EPISODE 6 page 66Students write about the event and speculate about the future.

Materials

Grouping

Schedule

None

Whole class to discuss the events; individually to write

Approximately 1 hour

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Culture/Social Interaction Cite ways in which language, stories, music and artisticcreations express culture and events. Identify the activities that people engage in tocelebrate and commemorate events of their time and place.Social Skills Organize, plan and make final decisions for the farewell. Work together tosuccessfully participate in the farewell event.


âCUSTOMIZEOther ConcludingActivitiesIf students feel stronglyabout concluding theStorypath in anotherway, encourage them todo so. As long as theconclusion is consistentwith their story, letstudents move forwardwith their plans.

INTRODUCING THE CONCLUDINGEVENTConcluding the StorypathIn this episode, students will conclude their Storypath bydiscussing the end of the summer and the task of registeringpeople to vote.

Read the following narrative or adapt to the specifics of yourStorypath.

August 4th, the bodies of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwernerwere found in an earthen dam on a farm not far fromPhiladelphia, Mississippi. The three men had been shot andChaney had been badly beaten. We are very sad. Thenational press has arrived to cover the story. There istension in the air. The families of the dead men want themburied together, but the state won’t allow it. Chaney must beburied in a segregated cemetery. Injustices follow one to thegrave.

We have been working hard all summer and our effort toregister voters has paid off. It is nearing the end of Augustand 80,000 Blacks have joined the Mississippi FreedomDemocratic Party. This has not been without cost however.The deaths of the three civil rights workers and over 1000people arrested during the summer have been a high price topay. There has been fear in the pits of our stomachs as weknew there could be violence and people could be killed.

The leaders of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Partyare preparing to attend the Democratic National Conventionin Atlantic City. While they are preparing to attend theconvention and hoping to have a voice in nominating thepresidential candidate, we are beginning to plan ourdeparture. Our work is done for the summer, and we mustreturn to our jobs and schools back home.

We have made many new friends and learned about adifferent way of life. Both Blacks and Whites in Mississippistood up for justice. Of course not all Whites supported ourwork--some wanted us dead. However, there were manyMississippi Whites that believed that Blacks should have theright to vote and be treated equally. They, like many of theBlacks, were afraid to speak up. They didn’t want to losetheir jobs, friends, or be ostracized because of their beliefs.Some risked everything and made a stand for justice. We’ve


AUTHOR NOTEStudent Ownership“Letting students planand prepare thededication is importantto maintain theirownership for theconcluding event.”

âCONNECTLanguage ArtsInterview an “expert”about the Civil RightsMovement. As a class,generate a list ofquestions for the guestspeaker prior to thatperson’s arrival. Discussstudents' questions sothat you help them thinkabout questions that areprecise, important, andinformational. Thisactivity validatesstudents’ learning andprovides a context tocompare and contrastthe speaker’sexperience with

changed over the summer. We faced hatred, unfamiliarpeople and a different way of life. We challenged ourselvesto stand up for what we believe. As we think about leaving,we have mixed emotions...

JournalingStop the narrative and have students finish the narrative forthemselves as though writing in the role of their characterand reflecting on how they feel about the summer and theirplans to return home. Then have students share with apartner, in small groups, or as a whole class.

Introducing the farewellSuggest that students need to plan a farewell event toconclude their Storypath. Students may have other ideas solet them take a lead in bringing closure to the Storypath.

If appropriate, begin a discussion of the farewell event withquestions like these:

• What kind of event should we have?• What kinds of activities should we have to help us

remember our summer and the experiences we have had?• Who should we invite to the event? (Parents and other

family members, other students that might want to learnabout Freedom Summer, and/or a guest speaker whocould share more information about their personalexperiences in the Civil Rights Movement.)

PLANNING AND HAVING THEFAREWELL EVENTBrainstorming activitiesHave students brainstorm a list of activities for the farewellevent. Have a range of activities so that everyone has a rolein the preparation. You can offer ideas, but let make theplans as much as possible.

Possible activities• Food --Select items that people might have eaten in the

1960s, Southern dishes or “soul food” might beappropriate to the occasion--keep it simple, however.

• Write farewell speeches or poetry that commemoratesFreedom Summer. Pairs or triads can be formed to writespeeches and poems.

• Decorations-- make banners/signs to put up announcingthe farewell event; make decorations. Pairs can worktogether to make decorations.

CONNECTLanguage ArtsThis is a goodopportunity for studentsto write songs or poetry,because they will likelyhave strong feelingsabout the Storypath’sevents. Students canshare their creation atthe gathering. (songwriting/poetry)


students’ ownexperiences. (refinequestioning skills)

â

• Commemorative gifts: make thank yous to the people ofthe community for hosting and working with youthroughout the summer, make clay sculptures, drawings,paintings, or plaques to commemorate Freedom Summer.Students can work individually to make these items.

• Songs could be written to a familiar tune thatcommemorates Freedom Summer. Other options includeselecting “freedom songs” or 1960s music for playing.Two or three students can work in this group.

• Guest speaker: Students can write questions for the guestspeaker and communicate with the speaker to coordinatethe presentation--with teacher’s assistance. The groupleader(s) could be responsible for this task.

CONCLUDING EPISODE 6Reflecting on the farewell eventHave students reflect on the event. Use questions like theones that follow to discuss the event and the Storypathbefore students begin the writing process:• Why are farewell events important?• What did you like best about our event?• What did we learn about Freedom Summer?• What civic actions did the characters take to make

changes in Mississippi?• What did we learn about our country’s struggle for

freedom and justice?• What do you think will happen after the civil rights

workers leave Mississippi? (Students can refer to otherresources to find out the next events in the Civil RightsMovement.)

JournalingStudents write in their journals recalling and reacting to thefarewell event. The preceding questions should assiststudents in thinking about their experience.

Bringing closureDiscuss the events that have taken place since the summer of1964. Students could add to the time line other events thathave occurred since 1964. Use such questions as follow tohelp students understand the events from 1964 to today:• What changes have happened since 1964 in Mississippi?• Why were people willing to risk so much to make a

difference?• Do you think that all white people in Mississippi were

against voter registration? Why or why not?• What changes have happened in our nation since 1964

related to civil rights?• Are there events going on in the news today where

CONNECTLanguage ArtsStudents can writefarewell speeches orpoetry related to theevents of the Storypath.Through guidedinstruction, you canreinforce writing skillswhen studentsparticipate in theseactivities. (write toinform; use words tocreate images; applypoetry form)


people are working towards their civil rights?

Extending Students’ ExperiencesIt is highly recommended that students view Episode 5,“Eyes on the Prize: Mississippi: Is this America? (1962-64).”(60 minutes) This excellent series recounts the events of theCivil Rights Movement and Episode 5 focuses on the timeperiod of this particular Storypath with news footage ofevents and interviews with the people who participated inFreedom Summer. Students can compare and contrast theirexperiences with this video focusing on the issues, way oflife, and the real-life challenges of the people they learnedabout through the Storypath.


SYNTHESIS ACTIVITIES

The following synthesis activities offer your students the opportunity to demonstrate what theyhave learned in this unit. These activities are also a powerful assessment tool for you becausethey’re multimodal. They allow for variances in students’ strengths and weaknesses as learners.These activities also allow you to assess students on a variety of subjects and on a number ofdifferent levels.

1. AN ARTISTIC PRESENTATION

ActivityWrite a poem, song, or create a drawing that illustrates at least 4 main events from the Storypath.

Criteria for AssessmentLearning objectives are demonstrated if the assignment• includes at least 4 main events from the Storypath.• includes one idea relating the human needs and concerns related to Freedom Summer.• includes one concept: freedom, equality, or justice in the presentation.• evokes an emotional response to the events of Freedom Summer.• demonstrates care in creating the presentation--shows evidence of preplanning/editing.

Artistic PresentationExceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Approaching

ExpectationsExpectations Not Met

Includes more than 5main events from theStorypath

Includes at least 4 mainevents from theStorypath

Includes 2 or 3 mainevents from theStorypath

Includes only one mainevent from the Storypath

Includes ideas related tothe human needs,concerns, and socialconditions related toFreedom Summer

Includes one idearelating the humanneeds and concernsrelated to FreedomSummer

Includes only one idearelated to human needsand concerns related toFreedom Summer

Confusion shown relatedto human needs andconcerns related toFreedom Summer

Includes two or moreconcepts: freedom,equality, and justice inthe presentation

Includes one concept:freedom, equality, orjustice in thepresentation

Provides specificexamples related tofreedom, equality, orjustice but does not usethose words inpresentation

Does not express ideasrelated to freedom,equality, or justice inpresentation

Evokes an emotionalresponse to the events ofFreedom Summer;shows insight

Evokes an emotionalresponse to the events ofFreedom Summer

Minimally addresses theemotional aspect to theevents of FreedomSummer

Does not evoke anemotional response tothe events of FreedomSummer


Demonstrates care increating thepresentation--showsevidence ofpreplanning/editing; noerrors present

Demonstrates care increating thepresentation--showsevidence ofpreplanning/editing

While there is evidenceof somepreplanning/editing, afew errors are present

Many errors inpresentation--noevidence ofpreplanning/editing

2. CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS

ActivityLocate a current event that identifies similar issues to that of the Civil Rights Movement. Listtwo or more facts from the current event and compare those facts to the events of the CivilRights Movement. List two or more facts that are different from the Civil Rights Movement.Identify the civic action were taken by the people in the current event. (You may need to clarifythis term for students.) Based on what you learned in the Storypath, speculate on what you thinkwill happen in the future to the event that you are analyzing.

Criteria for AssessmentLearning objectives are demonstrated if the response• clearly explains 2 similarities and 2 differences related to current event and the events of the

Storypath.• appropriately links current event to Storypath events.• can identify a civic action taken by people in the current event.• can logically speculate on what might happen next in the current event.• logically sequences responses, shows evidence of editing.• demonstrates correct grammar and mechanics of English.


Current Event AnalysisExceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Approaching


Clearly explains 3similarities and 3differences related tocurrent event and theevents of the Storypath

Clearly explains 2similarities and 2differences related tocurrent event and theevents of the Storypath

Clearly explains 1similarity and 1difference related tocurrent event and theevents of the Storypath

Is unclear about thesimilarities anddifferences related tocurrent event and theevents of the Storypath

Appropriately linkscurrent event toStorypath eventsdemonstrating insightsbeyond class discussions

Appropriately linkscurrent event toStorypath events

Links current event toStorypath events but isnot completely accuratein making links

Confusion existsbetween the currentevent and how it relatesto the Storypath

Can identify a civicaction taken by peoplein the current event andcan connect that actionto human rights

Can identify a civicaction taken by peoplein the current event

Can identify a civicaction but does notdirectly link it to thecurrent event

Does not understandcivic action, omits thisinformation

Can logically speculateon what might happennext in the current eventand explains that logicbased on the events ofthe Storypath

Can logically speculateon what might happennext in the current event

Some logic to whatmight happen next in thecurrent event

No logic to what mighthappen next or noresponse

Logically sequencesresponses; showsevidence of editing

Logically sequencesresponses; showsevidence of editing

Sequencing could beimproved; someevidence of editing

Lacks sequencing andediting

Uses correct grammar,spelling, and mechanicsof English

Uses correct grammar,spelling, and mechanicsof English, two or threeerrors

Has more than 3 errorsin grammar, spelling, ormechanics of English

Has many errors ingrammar, spelling, ormechanics of English

3. “My Portfolio”

ActivityAssemble at least four items from your experience in the Storypath which represent ideas orskills that they learned. You may include writing activities, your speeches, posters,“photographs,” and anything else you think demonstrates your learning.For each item, you should describe• why you selected the item.• what you learned from completing the item.• what the item tells about the events of Freedom Summer relating to concepts of freedom,

justice, equality and rights of citizens.

Criteria for AssessmentLearning objectives are demonstrated if the portfolio• provides an explanation stating why each item was selected and its importance for learning.• explains what was learned from the items chosen and can accurately explain at least two

events from Freedom Summer.• demonstrates an understanding of the events of Freedom Summer and how they relate to the

concepts of freedom, justice, equality, and rights of citizens.


• includes reflections that are thoughtful, well organized, and clearly communicated.• demonstrates correct grammar and mechanics of English.

PortfolioExceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Approaching


Includes five or moreitems from the Storypath

Includes four items fromthe Storypath

Includes three itemsfrom the Storypath

Includes one or twoitems from the Storypath

Explains what waslearned from the itemschosen and canaccurately explain atleast three or moreevents from FreedomSummer

Explains what waslearned from the itemschosen and canaccurately explain atleast two events fromFreedom Summer

Explains what waslearned from the itemschosen, however, is notclear on how the itemsreflect the events fromFreedom Summer

Cannot clearly explainwhat was learned fromthe items chosen

Can relate the events ofFreedom Summer toconcepts of freedom,justice, equality andrights of citizens usinginformation from theStorypath and othersources

Can relate the events ofFreedom Summer toconcepts of freedom,justice, equality andrights of citizens

Can relate the events ofFreedom Summer to atleast two of the conceptsof freedom, justice,equality and rights ofcitizens

Is unclear of the eventsof Freedom Summer asthey related to theconcepts of freedom,justice, equality andrights of citizens

Portfolio well organized,information clearlycommunicated, andcreatively presented

Portfolio well organizedand information clearlycommunicated

Portfolio had four itemsincluded but they werenot well organized

Portfolio was not wellorganized and hadmissing items

Uses correct grammar,spelling, and mechanicsof English; only minorerrors

Uses correct grammar,spelling, and mechanicsof English; two to threeerrors

Has a few errors ingrammar, spelling, ormechanics of English

Has many errors ingrammar, spelling, ormechanics of English


LETTER TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS

Dear Parents or Guardians

Your child will soon be starting an integrative unit of study about the Civil Rights Movement ofthe 1960s. Specifically we will focus on the summer of 1964 and the Mississippi FreedomProject. Students will create characters who are civil rights workers who volunteer to travel toMississippi to participate in the registration of Black voters.

The teaching approach I will be using is called Storypath, which was originally developed inScotland. This approach is built on the key principle that learning, to be meaningful, has to bememorable, and that we can use students’ enthusiasm for story-making to teach importantcontent and skills. Active learning, cooperation, critical thinking, and reflection are essentialcomponents of the process. As the Storypath develops, students will gain a sense of ownershipfor their learning as they tackle the problems presented.

As events unfold, ask your child to share with you what is happening in the Storypath. You mayfind that your child will want to learn more about life in the 1960s and the Civil RightsMovement. We will be studying the people who participated in these events and how life waslived in a segregated society. These issues are sensitive issues and require a classroom climatethat respects varying viewpoints and ideas. I want students to be able to examine these issueshonestly and respectfully.

You are welcome to visit our classroom during our Storypath time. You will be pleased to seestudents confronting important issues that relate to Freedom Summer, issues of justice, equality,and freedom as well as the responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society.

Sincerely,


Social Skills Assessment Checklist

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